Tuesday, January 15, 2013

exposure

Scabies. Ringworms. Bedbugs. And only the good Lord knows what else.

Over the past couple weeks I've been exposed to some serious yuck.

Everything itches.

No, I've not contracted any of these communicable fungi or parasites... as of yet, but I am definitely psyching myself out.

This place I call "work,"is a total petri dish. A science experiment.

Maybe they're secretly trying to create a new species?

I can't help but dig my nails into my skin. Particularly my scalp, beard, and chest. Just knowing that all these nasty little things are nearby burrowing, crawling, or whatever disgusting means of travel they prefer... eh, it makes me do that weird shuddery, shaky thing people do when they're freaked out. I hate it.

Work is now a battleground in a whole different way than before. Hand-sanitizer is my new BFF. I wear rubber gloves before touching any laundry and before doing any sort of cleaning. I refuse to sit on the upholstered furniture, and the concentrated '1-part-chemical, 10-parts-water' cleaning solution we use is a little less diluted than what it technically should be...

I've been exposed. And I'm taking action.

But what about all the other things I've been exposed to in life? The things I see and hear? Experiences? The state of the world and modern culture? I'm guarding my dermatological health, but what about my heart? After all, exposure can lead to infection...

Exposure is unavoidable. As Christians, we may not be of this world, but we are certainly meant to be in it. How else could we glorify God? When I come into contact with sin and depravity, I may end up doing a little "scratching," but real action needs to be taken...

Spiritual sanitizing.

What does that look like? I'm sure no believer would argue against time in the Word and prayer, but I think that to fully benefit from those things we have to first accept that our Christian bubble is, in fact, permeable. We need God.  Life gets to us. Sin gets to us. Even when it's not our own sin.

Infection can be sneaky. Maybe its in the form of a jaded heart after being exposed to a lot of pain in others. Maybe it manifests into your own sinning. Maybe its simply a failure to pray when exposed to a situation warranting prayer. I don't know; the possibilities are endless...

But I do know we're exposed. Daily. Don't think for a second it's not going to affect (or infect) you. Take action.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

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