A few Fridays ago, my wife and I got a call from our leasing agent to let us know she was coming by the following Monday to put a “for rent” sign in the yard and conduct an inspection so that we could end our lease early and be able to move to Hampton Roads. This meant one thing: I had three days to cram the piles of junk and dirty laundry underneath my bed.
There were positives to this undertaking, however, and I was able to glean some real treasures from this experience. For instance- I realized that underneath the rubble, there was actually a fairly decent carpet to walk on. “This would feel much better on my feet than clothes hangers and last week’s mail,” I told myself.
In addition, I also found several pairs of shoes for which I’d long ago called off the search. I felt like a kid who had just found the toy at the bottom of the Cracker Jacks box.
The truth is, I felt ridiculous for only wanting to clean up my mess for the purpose of making the realtor think I was some kind of modern day Danny Tanner / Mr. Clean mash-up – as opposed to the guy whose standards for picking out clothes in the morning is whether or not the dryer can take the wrinkles out in 10 minutes or less.
But it’s so much easier to fake it- to pretend like everything is shipshape on the outside, waiting to have to clean the inside until it’s absolutely necessary and putting on our brightest smiles when the realtor shows up for the inspection.
I’d be lying if I said this isn’t hard to avoid in so many areas of life. If there was a shortcut to looking great without eating healthy and working out (that won’t give you a coronary like Trimspa), I’d do it in a heartbeat. If there was a way I could look groomed without having to bathe and comb my beard, I’d be there. If it were possible to look like the most devoted and sold-out Christ-follower without actually having to sacrifice, I’m afraid I’d feel that temptation.
But facades fail when the veneer wears off. Jesus isn’t looking to hire commercial actors. He’s calling men and women who will put in the work, day in/day out, regardless of spotlight or acclaim.
Who do your cleaning habits more closely resemble: Danny Tanner or Joey Gladstone?
