This requires me to enter around 8-10 different houses a day. I have seen everything from the most immaculate of homes, to smells that actually made me dry heave. Some days are more interesting. Like when a 60 yr-old man asked me out on a date, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Or the time when an older gentleman thanked me for a "job well done" by patting me on the butt for what seemed like minutes. (My wife says I have a "look" about me.) And I can't forget about when I climbed down from the attic and surprised two members of a biker gang while smoking from a bong. I'm just glad that they had a "prescription" for it.
I used to be surprised and thrown off by the various situations I walked into. I've become numb to what I now see, partly because I feel I've seen it all, and also because I realize that these houses are theirs and whatever they do with it is not my business. As long as I respect their property, we have no issue.
This brings me to what happened at a recent call I was on.
As I entered the home I noticed two things: One, Everything from the carpet to the couches were very white. Two, the lady was NOT friendly.
I have a routine with every call I'm on. No matter what the house looks like, I wear shoe coverings or "booties". This call was no different. I put on the booties, walked across her amazingly clean white carpet and tried to break the ice with her. Talking about everything from the weather to complimenting her home, she wasn't changing her icy demeanor, so I moved on. As I was testing her thermostat, her annoying designer dog kept yapping at me, and lunging at my ankles. After getting enough attitude from the homeowner AND the dog, I decided to take my talents outside and check the A/C unit. I only took three steps out the backdoor before I realized I left my toolbag inside by the thermostat. I rushed back inside and it wasn't until I reached the bag did it hit me. I forgot to put my booties back on. My heart sank. I checked one boot. Clean! As I looked down at my other boot, I saw mud curling up the sides of the sole. I lifted my leg to see how much mud was on my shoe, and that's when the smell hit me. This was no mud. Yes, that's right...I stepped into a fresh pile of dog crap. I looked at the 30 feet separating myself from the backdoor. All carpet. All white carpet, except for one shoe print every few feet. It looked like a one-legged man stepped in crap and then hopped around this lady's house. To add insult to injury, the dog had stopped barking and just stared at me with his head cocked, mocking me. This was not going to be pretty.
Do you ever wish you had a rewind button? As Ursela was yelling at me, I wish I had one. I stood there looking at this white carpet with the smell permeating the home, while having the pleasure of listening to her call my boss and let him know he would be paying for the cleaning of the entire home. She made it clear over and over that I would not be welcome back. Duh.
While sitting in my van outside her home, all I could do was laugh. There was no rewind button. Nothing I could do would change the fact that the stupid dog took a giant crap right outside the backdoor.
Looking back, I see a parallel between this situation and everyday life. When we come to Christ, He promises us this: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.. -Isaiah 1:18. We become like this carpet before walked upon. But it won't stay this way for long, we aren't perfect. We will muddy up our lives. We will treat our lives like I treated that carpet. Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". We WILL make tracks in the new life given to us. Some tracks will smell worse than others.
Aren't you glad that Ursela isn't who we have to answer to on a daily basis? I know I am. My God is full of Agape Love. Many people are frightened to go to God with their sin, just as I was frightened to tell this ice-queen what I had done.
Relax, take a breath and know this: God knew you were going to make the tracks before you made them, and He still loves you. Unconditionally. He'll even clean up the mess for you.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness
-1John 1:9
Another well done, my friend!
ReplyDeleteRepentance pretty much rocks. Good post, Matt!
ReplyDelete