Do You Fear God’s Inspection of Your Life?

While Jayme studied in the eleventh hour for a macroeconomics final, I grabbed cleaning supplies and started working. Room inspection by the dorm resident assistant would be in an hour and a half, and I figured I could easily whip the room into shape by then. I whetted a paper towel and began swiping out one of the closet drawers.

That’s when from behind me I heard Jayme say, “Oh, they say this will be white glove.”

I paused my cleaning. White glove? Well, that changed things. I was chagrined to realize how much it changed things. I snapped to attention and started wiping the hinges to the cupboards and above the vanity lighting (will the RA use the white glove here?) I left not one hair or spot around the sink.

When I was finished cleaning, Jayme and I cleared out of the room and slid down against the wall in the hallway, waiting for the RA.

Nervous.

“Will she find a bunch of places I missed, and I’m going to be the most humiliated mother ever?” I tried to joke about it, but I felt this shame come up over me, knowing my work probably wasn’t perfect, imaging myself blushing while the RA tapped an impatient toe for me to re-do the cleaning.

The RA finally showed up and began going through the list on her clipboard. “Did you dust the electrical rail that runs around the room?”

No I hadn’t, so I ran for a paper towel.

Then the white-gloved finger pointed to above the light switch.

Dusty.

I ran for another paper towel.

A close eye at the door revealed glue left from tape. “You’ll need to get this off,” she said.

I ran for cleaner, but I couldn’t get off that glue.  The RA scrubbed it for me, working at the stain with a few different cleaners until it was removed. Then the words from her mouth, “Looks great! You’re outta here.” hat’s when I breathed for the first time. The RA was very kind, just thorough.

And I see that this is God, and this is me:

The clipboard.

The white glove of holiness.

The inspection to come.

The miss-nothing eyes.

The fear in me of shame.

The list signed complete, in the blood of Christ.

…by one sacrifice [Christ] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.  (Hebrews 10:14 NIV)

Already made perfect. The inspection passed before it even begins.

Being made holy. The grime pointed out. One spot at a time.

Unexpected kindness.

Help with the hard spots.

All fear is gone.

CLEAN.