This Might Get a Little Gross

I went hiking this weekend at one of my favorite spots, Friedrich’s Wilderness, hidden in a tiny corner of hill country north of San Antonio.

An hour on steep, rocky paths in the mid-day, Texas sun gives quite a sweat bath, but the good kind, the kind that makes you feel powerful, indestructible, fit and totally deserving of a gigantic dinner.

So after we left it all out on the trail, my Daniel and I headed for our favorite local, Mexican-fare eatery, Habanero’s Grill.

We were both slick, drenched with sweat. But I’d brought a change of clothes for us both, so we went to respective bathrooms at the restaurant, and changed.

I took a wet paper towel, first, to cleanse away the rivers of perspiration running down my shins and arms and back. What a relief.

However, I did not run a cool cloth over my face. Not that my face hadn’t sweat, but after a short ride in the car and air conditioning blowing right at my forehead, it didn’t feel quite as sweaty as the rest of me. And since I was really wanting my gigantic dinner… well, Habanero’s awesome chicken tacos anyway… and probably because I was a little dehydrated, or possibly because I dropped my hair clip on the floor and then smashed my head on the paper towel dispenser when I stood back up, my face got skipped.

Let me tell you, I didn’t even think about it as I inhaled those yummy soft tacos (grilled chicken, roasted tomato salsa, lettuce, cheese, sour cream and the best grilled onions on the planet).

It didn’t occur to me as we browsed through Best Buy looking for a best buy, which we did not find btw.

And while we drank coffee and ate dessert, a Pazookie at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery (have you had one of those??? Oh, my, gracious, goodness…), not a thought of a sweaty face crossed my mind.

Well, we live about an hour from this tight hiking spot, so after all this fun we had, we headed home. Tired muscles, lazy brain, full heart of the great day, rhythmic tire sounds running over the highway, I was pretty relaxed… until I had an itch on the bridge of my nose.

No big deal, though. I scratched it. But then the side of my cheek felt itchy, too, so I scratched that. And what comes off my face under my fingernails?

Grey, squishy, dried sweat.

Ew.

I rubbed some more, scratched a little, and it dawned on me – I hadn’t run a wet paper towel over my face when I changed at Hababero’s. Now, I’d have to wait until we got home.

Once we arrived, it took a pretty good scrubbing to feel fresh again.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, because the sweaty grime on my face reminded me of sin.

Everybody does it.

There’s a Way to wash it off. We just have to say, “Jesus, I’m dirty. Please cleanse me.” (Heb. 10:22)

A lot of times, we repent of the big, obvious stuff, but forget that which doesn’t quite feel like sin, the little stuff.

We’re having so much fun being distracted by the rest of our amazing lives that it doesn’t occur that we missed some.

Come to find out, it’s often that which is most obvious – like sweat on the face.

The longer we wait to wash, the harder the scrub is going to be, the more possibilities for consequences – blemishes, irritation, and the like.

It’s not like the Water doesn’t work just as well right away as it does later on. But it’s the grime and how long it’s left there to bake, get crusty and clingy, that affects how the skin looks after it’s been cleansed.

I need to pay attention and take the opportunity to wash/repent as soon as possible and not let the sweat/sin linger. My complexion will thank me for it.

Thank God for His Living, Cleansing Water! (John 7:38) Let’s jump in with delay!

Happy Monday! Be Blessed!