Scrubbing the Dishes

Most of my growing up years our family didn't own a dishwasher. That was because we had two dish washers in our house: my sisters (with an occasional substitute in my brother and me). I don't know how my sisters survived.  There were six of us in our family and there were plenty of dishes.

Washing the silverware and plates wasn't too bad, but washing the pots and pans was another story. Washing dishes by hand can be difficult, time consuming work.

Confronting a brother or sister in Christ about their sin is probably the most difficult task in the Christian community; one in which we say, "send someone else, Lord!"

This task is difficult because we know our own brokenness, sin and failings.

This task is difficult because we fear that it might lead to alienation in our relationship with that person.

This task is difficult because we don't want to be wrong in our judgment about another person's behavior.

"My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." James 5:19-20 New Living Translation

James reminds us that there is great value in compassionately dealing with another person's sin and their wandering from the truth: that person is saved from spiritual death and experiences the gift of forgiveness when they recognize their sin and turn to Jesus.

Yes this is hard work, yet it is work that reflects what this baby was born to do for us. Through the hard work of dying on the cross he has washed us clean of our sin and saved us from spiritual death.

This gift of forgiveness is the gift that he wants to give all who have sinned and fallen short of his glory.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.