Hidden Dirt

But sometimes dirt an be hidden and you miss it. That happened to me recently. I sweep my kitchen just about every day. We have LVP flooring and the manufacturer recommends daily sweeping because little grains of dirt can scratch the floor when walked on. Since we had a kitchen renovation in February 2020, I try very hard to keep my floor swept often.

So, that day, when I cleaned my kitchen, I saved the floor for last as usual. I moved all the chairs and started sweeping. I was started at the amount of dirt I swept up! I just stood there, nearly in shock that I had allowed so much dirt on my floor! I had even noticed the dirt!

As I continued to look in disbelief at the mess on my floor, it struck me that this is how we sometimes allow hidden dirt into our spirits in our walk with Christ. It can creep in unawares and dirty up our relationship with the Lord just like that hidden dirt on my kitchen floor.

What are some ways that dirt (sin) can creep into our lives unawares? It’s happened to me and I’m pretty sure it’s happened to all believers at some point or another.

• What about that person who cuts you off in traffic, eliciting a harsh word and anger at him or her? Then you let it ruin your day.
• What about that book, TV show or movie you watched that had bad language and/or explicit scenes or nudity? This is a huge biggie with me. I am of the opinion that if God tells me in His Word not to use coarse language, I’m pretty sure He doesn’t want me to use it or derive entertainment from it. I refuge to watch OR read filthy language, vulgarity and explicit scenes. Ephesians 4:29 says: ‘Don’t use foul or abuse language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.’ And Psalm 101:3a tells us, ‘I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.’ Those verses show us God’s heart concerning these issues.
• What about that gossip you listened to: Even if you refrained from actual gossip, if you listened, you share the guilt. James 1:26 says, ‘If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself and your religion is worthless.’ And also James 4:11 tells us, ‘Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.’ And here’s a biggie from Proverbs 10:19: ‘Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.’ One more from Proverbs 11: 13 says, ‘A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.’ There are a great many more verses involving the tongue. I think our mouths get us in more trouble than anything.’
• What about that dirty joke you listened to a co-worker deliver:? Everyone laughed and you didn’t want to be the odd man out by refusing to join in, so you just stood there and listened. So by not speaking out against it, you effectively gave it your approval. More dirt.
• How about the co-worker who has a dirty mouth and uses near constant foul language? If you refuse to say anything and just sit there and listen to it, you just got more dirt on your floor.

All of these situations can bring dirt into our walk with Christ. Sometimes they come in very slowly and begin to grow into something incredibly difficult to sweep away. Sometimes we boldly allow the dirt to creep in and willingly take part in these sins. Make no mistake: the enemy of our souls will use any means necessary to fool us and sneak in and bring his dirt with him.

Look at it this way: A mouse can squeeze through a hole in your house just one quarter of an inch big. They are breeding machines and can reproduce up to ten times a year, giving birth to up to fourteen babies in each litter. An infestation can happen in just weeks. So it is with our hidden dirt. If you don’t sweep often, you will have a huge mess that will damage your floor totally. So sweep up the mess!

Here are more verses on this subject. All scripture is taken from the NLT version of the Bible.

Psalm 51:7 “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a loyal spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:2a ‘Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.’

2 Corinthians 7:1 ‘ Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit.’

1 John 1:9 ‘But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Proverbs 18:21 ‘The tongue can bring life or death; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

1 Peter 3:10 ‘For the Scriptures say, if you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.’

Proverbs 4:23 ‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.’