Having a car wash can be great fun as well as a lot of work. A car wash is also a good place to learn some lessons about life. Some time back I pulled into a car wash put on by some teens and was really blessed by a few of the things I observed.
If you ask the kids, the phrase of the day probably was, “Start at the top and work down.” It is so much easier and better to start at the top and let the water and soap loosen the dirt as it runs down the sides. So it is with our lives, as we comprehend God’s viewpoint with our minds through His Word, we are more willing to cooperate as He begins to work with our thinking.
Some cars look dirtier than others. Usually a lighter color vehicle won’t show the dirt as much as a dark one, yet when you start washing it you can really see just how dirty the lighter one really is. So it is with some of us as Christians, we may not show the dirt of sin as readily when compared to others but when Christ begins to point out the sin in our lives it becomes very apparent just how dirty we really are.
When washing a vehicle it is very easy to miss some spots and not know it until the car dries. That’s when the parts you miss really show up. Parts of my pickup had to be washed three times to get it all clean. I’m glad that when God washes us with His Son’s blood, He doesn’t miss any spots but “washes us whiter than snow” Psalm 51:7.
Removing bugs from the grill can be a lot of hard work and you can easily cut your hands on some of the sharp edges. Trying to help someone with something that is really “bugging” them, we can be hurt. When we reach out to get involved we become vulnerable, but a clean grill or boy is worth the risk.
Although it is an activity designed to make money, it is probably just as profitable for the other things it does for a group. Learning to work together can be fun and the reward is more than the money received. A job well done brings great honor and a sense of accomplishment to those who participate.
There was no charge for the car wash but donations were gratefully received. There may have been some people who, after receiving the wash, gave nothing and thought they had gotten a good deal. But they missed the joy of freely giving in response to someone who so unselfishly has given to us. God also cleans us free of charge for those who acknowledge their need of cleansing and ask Him to do it. And then He never demands, but rather allows us the privilege of giving ourselves back to Him.
Finally, the change in the appearance of the vehicle itself is incredible. A clean car brings such joy and pride of ownership. I guess washing us is what gives God great joy, too.
