Clean Your Room

I want to share with you a parable written by a preacher friend of mine.

The Church of Clean

The other day I asked my 12 year-old daughter to clean her room. About an hour later I inquired if the task was finished. She responded, "Dad, I gathered with other kids who were asked to clean their room. We sang songs about room-cleaning, read a passage from the room-cleaning manual and listened to a great speaker about room-cleaning!"

But the room was still a mess.

A day went by and I asked my daughter about her room. She replied, "Dad, I met with a small group of other kids who were asked to clean their room. We studied a book about room-cleaning, prayed that all our rooms would be cleaned and encouraged each other to be faithful room-cleaners!"

But the room was still a mess.

Another day went by and I again asked her about the room. She joyfully answered, "Dad, I just got back from a convention in Nashville (An obvious reference to our denomination's Assembly coming up this summer) where thousands met to praise and encourage room-cleaning! I even attended several seminars by leading room-cleaners on best practices and organizational structures for room-cleaning!"

But the room was still a mess.

Finally, after another day had passed, I asked her if her room was clean. She sternly told me, "I like the way my room is. It has been this way for 40 years. If it was good enough then, it is good enough now. I don't want to change a thing about it."

Yet, the room was a mess.

Jesus commissioned us, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Yet ...