Car Wash: Wash me all over! by Petra Pierre-Robertson

“Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” (John 13:9)

Not just my feet...

"Can you clean my car for me before I head to work? Just the outside. The inside is clean. It shouldn't take too long".

It was a quick request. But he wanted to return to bed. Exams were over. His brain was tired. Yet he couldn't bring himself to refuse his mom's urgent request. Normally he or his dad cleaned the car for her. But he had been particularly busy with exams, and the Sahara dust was having a good time with the car.

When mom surfaced, dressed for work on a spanking new Monday morning, the body of the car was shining and spotless. As she walked towards the car she noticed it. The tyres were dirty.

Dirty tyre

He was already ambling to the bathroom to have a shower before crawling back into bed when she pointed it out to him. Still sleepy, he uttered, "You said you wanted the car clean, not the tyre."
She had no choice but to burst out laughing even as she quipped, " Isn't the tyre part of the car? That is tantamount to dressing nicely and putting on a dirty shoe."

One complete image/fruit

The analogy hit like a bolt of lightning. One dirty unattended spot had affected the entire image. The car was still dirty even though he had carefully attended to select parts. The silver grey metal body, along with the silver rims and black tyre made one complete car (like the complete fruit of the spirit), and all needed equal attention.

All the parts need attention

What tyres may we be ignoring in our personal and corporate lives? Could it be that there are parts that we are cleaning and paying signal attention to while ignoring other parts? The various parts may be both outward and internal in our physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and social spheres.

The cleaning agent

Remember, that one overlooked area will affect the entire image. Peter got it correct when, seeing his need for a complete makeover, he blurted to Jesus, "don't just wash my feet, Lord, wash my hands and head too!" (John 13:9). In other words, Peter wanted a total body wash!

Total body wash

May we too, not focus on select parts, but may we wash the car, the tyres, the inside, the outside, the mental, the emotional, the physical and the spiritual. May our desire be a complete wash!

Create in me a clean heart, God (Psalm 51:10)




Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 8, 2023 at 5:46 AM

    We need a total spiritual bath everyday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. brumbleaJuly 8, 2023 at 2:12 PM

      Beautiful message which brings to mind the importance of personal integrity--i.e., ensuring wholeness/soundness of health in all realms of our bodies and minds. I'm resonating with gratitude for timely message!

      Delete
    2. Petra Pierre - RobertsonMay 15, 2024 at 4:54 AM

      Amen. God be praised.

      Delete
  2. EMariaJuly 8, 2023 at 6:59 AM

    Only Jesus can wash us thoroughly - inside/out!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 8, 2023 at 7:22 AM

    Lovely Analogy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 8, 2023 at 11:17 AM

    Good reminder of totality of care. As the hymn goes, "so wash me now without, within, or pure with fire if that must be. No matter how if only sin die out in me, die out in me" . The cleansing must be thorough to be effective.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJuly 8, 2023 at 1:12 PM

    Absolutely brilliant analogy..May this be our prayer!!!

    ReplyDelete

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