PLEASE DON'T OPEN THE DOOR

Sitting back to enjoy a steaming cup of my favorite coffee, I proudly surveyed all of my accomplishments from a busy morning. The floors were swept and steamed clean, the granite countertops were cleared and washed and the stainless steel appliances were polished and gleaming.  Yes indeed, I had earned a break and as I inhaled the delicious aroma ascending from my cup, I felt so satisfied and was so proud…then I opened the refrigerator and my momentary euphoria evaporated as swiftly as the steam off the cup of coffee.

I wanted to quickly shut the door.  Who would know?  My neighbor, stopping by for a little chat, had no need to open my refrigerator for a quick peek.  Steve wouldn’t notice. To his undiscerning eye, the refrigerator looked the same as when he opened it and pulled out a Diet Coke yesterday.  Just sit back, enjoy the coffee, read a little face book; no one can see inside the door…but I knew!!!

Finally giving in to the aggravating little thing I call a conscience, the coffee was set aside and I tackled the task of cleaning the inside of the refrigerator.  There were week-old leftovers and year-old pickles, stale, moldy bread ends, month-old almond milk and an expired jar of salsa.  After throwing out the old and setting aside the fresh, the shelves and drawers were scrubbed clean…how could I have ignored the sticky goo of dripping syrup or the multiple rings of dried milk, a little applesauce in this corner and dried crumbs in the other.  Did I really ignore them or had they just become such a part of the refrigerator that I no longer even noticed?  After a little elbow grease and mercilessly tossing stale and expired food in the garbage, the job was done…now for that cup of coffee.

Back to my life…how many times have I gotten everything “just right” and settled back in satisfaction only to have God open my “refrigerator door.”  Oh yes, the outside was polished and gleaming.  I had on the right clothes, my hair was fixed to perfection, my shoes and purse matched and a self-righteous smile was plastered on my face.  I said all the right words at the appropriate times, nodded my head in agreement to all the correct Biblical passages and prayed my pious little prayers before I nodded off to sleep.  But please, DON’T OPEN THE DOOR!!!

Sometimes we become so accustomed to the dank, stale air on the inside that it becomes a new normal.  We shove in a fresh word, pushing back the stale, moldy bread of yesterday’s experience hoping no one will notice.  We keep little bowls of envy and a jar of bitterness to remind us of ancient hurts, not realizing that they have multiplied and taken root…there are actually things feeding off them and growing in those containers.  Then there are the little crumbs and bits of goo in the corners that have been there so long that we have begun to embrace them as just part of the scenery.

It is time to apply some “Spiritual Elbow Grease.” 

Don’t be afraid to exchange yesterday’s experience with a fresh encounter in the presence of God…get rid of that moldy bread.  The bitterness and envy that has been growing and multiplying, TOSS IT OUT; container and all.  Finally, spend some time on your knees and allow the Holy Spirit to sweep away the crumbs and wash away the goo.  Now, pick up that Bible and put all the good and fresh stuff back on your shelves…It’s time to enjoy that refreshing drink from the Springs of Living Water.  Go ahead; don’t be afraid, OPEN THE DOOR!