When I was in training to work among the un-churched overseas, I was shown a picture that looked something like this:
Do Your Heart and Hands Follow Your Head?
The image on the left represents a typical believer in the western world:
A large head that represents an abundance of knowledge with a smaller heart, hands, and feet representing relatively small levels of obedience and gospel inspired emotions like love and compassion.
The image on the right represents a typical new believer in areas where the church is just beginning to grow:
A smaller head that represents a minimal amount of biblical knowledge and understanding with a much larger heart, hands and feet representing relatively greater levels of obedience and gospel inspired emotions.
The picture haunted me because I knew it was true for me. In the beginning, as my knowledge of Christ and His saving grace had just begun, I was eager to obey all I knew and my heart was full of joy and thankfulness. But, as I learned and acquired more and more knowledge, my heart and hands have had a difficult time keeping up the pace.
The Difficulty of Putting Away Laundry
And now, as a wife and mom, I must say that the image still comes to mind frequently, especially when it comes to laundry. I’m still learning the ropes of household management and laundry is certainly one of those areas that can confound me. I don’t necessarily mind the washing and drying, but it’s the folding and especially the putting away that is most difficult for me.
The scenario has happened too many times:
- perfectly clean clothes packed together in the dryer for days-collecting wrinkles and losing their
- or clothes still covered with the scent of clean left to sit, unfolded, on the couch or bed for a day or two-begging some toddler to come and share a blueberry or peanut butter stain
- or clothes and towels actually folded and sorted, yet sitting in piles around the room, waiting for someone (that would be me) to put them into their proper place
As I’m learning the ropes of laundry, I’m teaching myself that I haven’t truly DONE a load of laundry until I’ve folded it and put it into its proper place. Without putting it away, I might’ve gotten rid of some dirt and straightened some wrinkles, but I haven’t accomplished the purpose of ‘doing laundry’ which is to provide clean clothes (or towels or whatever) for my family to easily use when the need arises.
Putting Away the Laundry and Finding a Way to Obey
In this time and in our culture, there are a million and one ways to learn more about Christ and His Word. The books are constantly hot off the press and the podcasts and downloadable sermons are a click away. And while I am eager to learn more about Christ, to increase my understanding of Him, the increase in knowledge does me no good if I don’t seek to apply that knowledge in this everyday life.
Too often, I can devour a book or a sermon or a Bible study and feel enlightened and inspired, but then walk away from the epiphany with no real change in my everyday emotions, interactions, and thoughts.
So, today, as I open drawers and closets to put away my laundry, I’m asking these questions about the things God has taught me lately:
- How should my everyday emotions change as a result of this truth?
- How should my interactions with my husband and children change due to this command?
- Are there hidden sins that this truth reveals that I need to confess and turn from?
- If this truth were to take root in my life, how different should my life look five years from now?
U Turn
How do you deal with ‘putting away the laundry’ when you learn new truths at church, through a book or a Bible study?
What means of reflection and application have helped you move head knowledge into heartfelt emotion and action?
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