Very picky!

By the current condition of my vehicle, you would not be able to determine that I really enjoy a clean ride. A surge of runny noses has caused the tissue box to apparently explode.  A recent sharp turn spilled french fries into recesses unreachable with the human hand.  There is clear evidence that powdered donuts and driving do not go together.  A child’s dirty socks peek from beneath one of the seats.  Road film continues to accumulate after days of scattered showers.  I am acutely aware of the need to clean every time I open the car door, but once parked near my home where comfort and air conditioning await, this effort is easily put off for another day.

Before leaving the realm of the salaried employee, I regularly had my vehicle detailed.  I remember one experience in particular.  I pulled into an open lane and spoke with the attendant.  She was very friendly and once I had selected the wash I desired, I asked her about some particular things I wanted that may or may not be included.  I kindly explained to her that I was prepared to tip the workers very well if they would take the time to really clean all the nooks and crannies throughout the dash and console.  I wanted the entire vehicle clean, but this was the hot spot for me.  In previous visits I had neglected to ask for what I wanted and drove away more than a little annoyed that there would still be crumbs in the cup holders. She patiently listened and assured me that they would take care of it all.

She entered the information into the system and handed me the slip to take inside for payment.  She then stepped to the back passenger window on which she wrote the code for the wash I had selected.  I pulled up to the vacuum stop and got out of the car.  As I turned to shut the door I noticed the window.  Next to the wash code she had written “Very Picky!”  I really did LOL.

I would have preferred she write “Big Tipper!” as I fully intended to reward those who took the time to fulfill my expectations.  Or perhaps “Nice Lady!” as I was careful to express myself kindly and not demanding. But somehow that’s not how she saw it.  She saw me as picky.  Picky implies hard to please.

There was a time in my life when I saw God as very picky.  Hard to please.  I wanted to please Him.  I wanted to change and be the woman He has called me to be.  But I always felt as if it wasn’t enough.  I mean, the bible is full of instruction – details on who we are to be, how we are to act, etc.  No matter what changes I felt I had made, there were still so many more.  I rarely left my bible reading or prayer time feeling encouraged.  More often, I felt defeated.  God demanded so much.

Thankfully, I got to know Him better.  I discovered that He does care very much about the details, but that pleasing Him is based on only one thing –  faith*.   Faith means firm persuasion;

• Being firmly persuaded that He is Who He says He is:  Loving.  Faithful.  Merciful.  Forgiving.  Giving. Patient.  Kind.  Good.  Perfect.  Everything we need.
• Having confident assurance that when we give ourselves to Him, He is able to work in us and for us to make us what we ought to be**.
• Believing that if He tells us to examine the details of our lives – attitudes, motives, actions – in order to “clean it up”, it is because He loves us and knows that there are greater blessings for us if we yield to His correction.  He is the One Who can change us***.

God is love….God sent His Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  1 John 4:8-9 AMP

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.  Glory to God in the church!  Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations!  Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!  Ephesians 3:20-21 MSG

Giving attention to the details may require more effort than we would like, but when attended to, make life much more enjoyable.  Now, I think I’ll go clean up my car.

*Hebrews 11:6

**Hebrews 13:21

***John 15:5