Clean Sweep

"God doesn't seek for golden vessels, and does not ask for silver ones, but He must have clean ones." -- D.L. Moody

Years ago, I enjoyed watching the show Clean Sweep on The Learning Channel (TLC).  TLC describes the show as follows:

"Too much stuff? Not enough space? Is your house cluttered from floor to ceiling with more disorder than anyone can handle? Clean Sweep is an emotionally charged yet often comedic hour of television.  In every episode, our team of ruthless, yet talented, experts will help homeowners dramatically transform two areas in their house from disaster areas to functional, stylishly organized living spaces..." (TLC, last accessed 12.27.2012)

One of my favorite parts of the show was when all the contents of the rooms being remodeled were placed out on the front lawn in a pile.  The homeowners then had to divide the pile into three categories: keep, sell, throw away.  Often, the homeowners would simply start putting everything in the keep category.  Eventually, one of the hosts would come out and make them start over, and in the end, the keep pile was usually the smallest and the throw away pile was the largest.

I was always amazed at how much "stuff" people had in their homes, let alone their closets; and TLC wasn't kidding when they described the show as "emotionally charged."  The homeowners in the show would shed tears over "stuff" that looked like complete junk to me, but had obvious sentimental value to them.  However, no matter how many tears were shed or arguments raised about what they could keep or not keep, they were required to eliminate "stuff" from their life.  Fortunately, the skilled team of "ruthless, yet talented, experts" helped navigate the tumultuous waters of change

While all of this was taking place, a crew of designers and builders worked hard to remodel the rooms inside.  They tore out old structures that were no longer needed and added new ones to help reinforce the changes being made outside.  Not only were structural changes made, but aesthetic enhancements were introduced to create a sense of connection with the new space.  I have to admit, I may have coveted a few times after the rooms were completed.  Some of them were simply amazing.

At the end of the show, the homeowners would experience the big reveal. They would get blindfolded and led into the newly designed spaces.  When the blindfold was removed, they would be in awe of what had been accomplished.  Some would gawk with their mouth wide open, others started crying, while some literally jumped for joy.  I can only recall one time when the homeowner was unhappy with the results, but it was no surprise to the crew, or the viewers.  That individual fussed and complained the entire show.

When you think about it, our lives are not much different than our homes.  As time goes by we collect all types of "stuff" in our lives.  Some "stuff" is collected through moments of great joy and celebration, while other "stuff" is a result of challenges and difficulties.  It could be emotional baggage from relationships gone bad, or behavioral habits resulting from the people you spend time with. Regardless of the source of our "stuff," we all have some and many of us have more than we should.

Now, just as physical stuff can clutter a room, excessive and unhealthy mental, emotional, and spiritual "stuff" can clutter our lives.  In fact, many of us need to make a clean sweep through our lives.  We need to take inventory and get rid of the clutter building up inside of us.  This is a challenging task regardless of age, maturity, or spiritual status with God.  It's challenging because our "stuff," both the positive and the negative, has helped mold and shape us into who we are.  We are used to our "stuff;" it is a part of us.

When an drug addict goes into a rehab program, one of the first steps is to detoxify the individual.  According to Merriam-Webster, the goal is to "remove a harmful substance (as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such from" the individual (Merriam-Webster, last accessed 12.27.2012).  By removing the toxins having a negative impact on the individual, they can begin to focus on rebuilding healthy structures, boundaries, and relationships in their life.  Ideally, at the end of rehab the individual has the "tools" and resources necessary to make healthy decisions leading to a purposeful and meaningful future.

Like an addict whose body needs to be detoxified, many of us (myself included) need to detoxify our lives of the bad "stuff" we have collected and stored across the years.  If we fail to remove the clutter of "stuff" from our lives, it will hinder us from achieving our full potential.  If, however, we can put our lives through a rehab program, of sorts, we will increase our potential to live a purposeful, meaningful, and significant life now and in the future.

These concepts have been at the forefront of my thinking as I reflect on personal, local, national, and global events of 2012.  As a result, I am challenged with how to make 2013 more purposeful and meaningful not only personally, but in as many areas as possible. I am challenged to live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year with purpose and meaning. To accomplish this, I have chosen to approach the coming year in the following way:

Detoxification:  Craig Groeschel wrote a book in 2012 entitled, Soul Detox: Clean Living In A Contaminated World.  His basic premise is that we need to clean our lives of anything that is not beneficial for us.  We need to eliminate toxic behaviors, emotions, and influences from our lives. If I am, if we are, going to live 24/7/365, these must go!  This is fully possible through a relationship with Jesus. Why? Because he will give us what's necessary to get the job done (Philippians 4:13); because in the midst of trials and difficulties, he has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Remodel:  Just like in the show Clean Sweep, the rooms of my life, of your life, need to be remodeled to reinforce the changes resulting from the detoxification process.  For some this might include a new foundation all together, for others it might simply be an adjustment here or a tweak there. Overall, I believe this remodel MUST include more intimate time in God's word and a greater commitment to prayer than ever before.

The Reveal:  The moment of truth in Clean Sweep comes when the remodel is revealed to the homeowners for the first time.  There is great joy and excitement when they see the remodeled rooms, and what we get excited about we share.  Think about the last time something wonderful happened in your life.  Did you keep it a secret? I submit that you did not. I imagine those homeowners couldn't wait to share about their newly remodeled rooms.  They probably had a big party with all the neighbors and celebrated for days, if not weeks.

As our lives are detoxified and remodeled, I need to, you need to, celebrate what is happening and then reveal the results to others.  People get excited about excitement. It's practically contagious. Your reveal may just be the incentive needed to begin the process in their own life.  One by one, we can make a difference in the lives of people around us.

I am excited about the potential 2013 holds to live 24/7/365.  May you experience a clean sweep in your life that leads to unlocking your potential in the coming year as well.  May God guide us, shape us, and use us to accomplish great things for Him in the world around us.

Until next time,

David