day 167: Clean Cups

Mondays back into the office are always just a little different than other days. After the weekend away, even though we probably did some work over the weekend, that first day back after even a couple of days away has a feeling of newness. We walk in to our building, say hello to whose we see, ask about their weekend, share our own stories of what we did, then go into our workspace and look around to see what the cleaning crew has moved around over the weekend, etc. We drop off our stuff and then walk down the hall to the coffee bar and we look around for a clean cup, maybe even our own cup that should have been washed over the weekend, and we are happy when there it is, shiny, clean and ready to go to help us start our week.. Sometimes the little things make the day get off to a better start. Our lives are the same way in many respects. We take the weekend to clear our head and clean out the messes that were piling up over the week. We go to church on Sunday and clean up ourselves spiritually so that we can start the week afresh and new, or so we pray and hope. And like that clean coffee cup the work that is shiny on Monday, the work and the world around us gets poured into us and before long we don't feel as clean any longer and we go from day to day just rinsing ourselves out or maybe not even that, but just continuing to add more and more to what at the end of the week becomes a pretty grungy cup. And then we wonder why as the week goes on that we feel further and further from God and that we are slipping from our purpose to bring Him glory. Jesus had strong words on this subject. In Matthew 23 he speaks to the Pharisees about how important it is to clean the inside of the cup versus just the outside. It does no good at all to just clean the rim or polish up the outside of the cup if inside the cup is full of nasty stuff. In verse 25 He says: "First wash the inside of the cup and then the outside will become clean, too." As we head back into the office this week, think about the work that we are doing and the kind of worker God wants us to be and think about the importance of keeping our cup clean from the inside out throughout the week by staying in His word, in prayer and in fellowship with those around you who are also doing their best to bring God's purpose to their work. May your cup stay clean this week!

Reference: Matthew 23:25 (New Living Testament)