Rinse Your Plate

Have you ever walked through a hospital, mall, airport, or church and marveled at how clean everything looked? Bathrooms are spotless, carpets are well-kept, walls are free from dings and dirty hand prints…

Has it ever occurred to you in those moments of appreciation that those spaces didn’t get that way by themselves? There is a person’s hard work behind every shiny floor, clean window, and litter-free carpet that your feet walk across.

Have you ever taken the time to stop and thank the people who keep public spaces clear of debris and dirt and junk? Or at least felt bad when you have to walk across a floor that is in the process of being mopped?

Some people have no self-awareness. It’s true. You’ve probably met them. Or perhaps you’re that person. [It’s okay- I promise I love you anyway. Mostly because Jesus says I have to, but I’m working on loving you because I want to.]

They don’t notice when their boots drag dirt into a space- it never occurs to them to stomp or wipe off their shoes/boots before they come inside. They also just toss their dishes (even the spaghetti sauce ones!) in the sink instead of rinsing them, because washing dishes is not their chore.

At restaurants they leave all the plates at everyone’s seat, with napkins strewn all over the place, random food dropped on the table, straw papers under foot…

Because they don’t have to clean it up, it never occurs to them to stack the plates, pile the napkins on top, put silverware on top of that, pick the straw papers up off the floor.

Listen, you may not have to wash the dishes at that restaurant, or clean the floor, but you can make it easier for the person who does. You might not have to vacuum that rug, but you also don’t have to drop papers and hair, or wipe crumbs onto the floor and make the job harder for the person who does have to clean it.

At home you can take ten seconds and rinse your plate.

What if we all had the mindset of “that’s not my job” so we only focused on the things we have to do, and never considered the other people around us? How much better would things be if we’d all just take a second and be mindful that SOMEONE is going to have to clean up all the things?

How about in the church?

The pastor is responsible for a lot of things. Leadership is responsible for a lot of things. Sunday School teachers are responsible for a lot of things. They clean up a lot of messes and put out a lot of fires.

But we can make their jobs easier by dealing with our own messes.

Ephesians 5:14-16
(14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
(15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
(16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Fools believe the world revolves around them, that their actions affect no one but themselves. They walk along the path totally engrossed in whatever they’re doing: looking at their phone, chatting with a friend, daydreaming, and never once looking up to see who they might bump into or inconvenience.

They eat their food and drop their crumbs, and throw their wrappers wherever they please because they never think about who will have to come behind them and clean up the mess.

God is calling us to wake up- look around us, live with purpose and intention. Be wise.

Stop those complaint or gossip sessions as soon as they get started by praising the Lord for something, or asking the complainer if they want to pray about the issue since they’re so upset about it.

Keep your eyes open for people who need help. Bear others’ burdens. Keep yourself clean and pure, and do your best to not make others’ jobs harder than they already are.

You may not have to wash all the dishes, but you can certainly rinse your own plate.

Philippians 2:1-4
(1) If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
(2) Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
(3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Galatians 5:13-16
(13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
(14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

1 Peter 4:8-10
[8] And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
(9) Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
(10) As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.