Friday, April 24, 2009

A Lesson from an old carpet



Yesterday, my girls and I pulled up the carpet in our living room (because it was Thursday and Friday is trash day). As I was ripping up that old, dirty, worn out carpet and exposing the beautiful wood floors underneath it made me think of this passage in Colossians:
"But now, you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,...Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; " Colossians 3: 8-10,12
I don't know how far you can take this analogy, but that old carpet was like the old man. I was so ready to get that disgusting stuff out of the house and onto the curb. I was pulling and ripping with all my might to get it out as soon as possible. That was a good picture of how I should think about putting off the old man. I should be passionately ripping and tearing at him and thoroughly disgusted by what remains of him in me. I should be eager to reveal the true nature of the new man that is who I became when I was born again just as I was so excited to see those shiny wood floors that had been hidden under that old carpet. Before the carpet was pulled up I often kept the curtains closed and hated to turn on the "big light" in the living room. We sat in partial darkness most of the time illuminated only by a couple of lamps, but once that old stuff was out I was thrilled to open the windows and see the sunlight bouncing off the new clean floors! Oh how I want my life be clean and beautiful, reflecting the light of my Lord!
The note for the Greek word "put off" in the MacArthur Study Bible (NKJV) says "put off. A Greek word used for taking off clothes...Like one who removes his dirty clothes at day's end, believers must discard the filthy garments of their old, sinful lives." And for the word "put on" he says, "Because the old man died in Christ, and the new man lives in Christ-because that is the fact of the new creation or regeneration (2 Cor. 5:17)- believers must put off remaining sinful deeds and be being continually renewed in to the Christlikeness to which they are called."
What a lesson to learn from and old carpet!

3 comments:

  1. Julie,
    Your little old house is sounding like it is becoming a beautiful home cared for by diligence and love. How Good our precious God is to give us "projects" that sanctify. Your blog is full of humility and wisdom. Thanks for sharing.
    Love you all
    Martina

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  2. I wish I could have been there helping you and the girls rip up that old carpet--we could have chatted about spiritual truths while ripping! and thanks for sharing the analogy- interesting, isn't it, how our Lord gives women "over and over" work to do each day and often our labors relate to biblical truths which we can share and encourage oneanother along the way. blessings, Julie.

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  3. What a wonderful post! I couldn't agree more. The old man is sooo daunting and not easy to battle. There are times when I am just so sick of my sin I end up in tears crying out to God. Great Blogging Julie!

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