
I loved the fact that you could wash clothes rather quickly and that it saved water and energy, thus reducing my overall costs...but my clothes stunk and never came out completely clean!
So yesterday...I got out the instruction manual.
I read that if you pushed this button and this other button and this button along with the pre-set of the regular setting...it would greatly increase the cleanliness of soiled clothes. I also read that you should only use the quick wash with like your Sunday school clothes that you barely wore and had no soil or smell on them. I also learned that you should only add detergent to the pre-wash compartment if you choose the pre-wash cycle.
So I followed the instructions and Viola!!! My clothes came out clean, with no smell and I used very little detergent!!!
Wow...what a concept, "reading the instructions".
....by now you know I'm going to parallel this to living a Godly life right...?
For years, I lived a life that I personally thought was O.K.. A good life..., one that was similar to other people. But I always felt like I needed something more. You know...like using the quick cycle on the H.E. washing machine that only took 25 minutes, but left the clothes with a few stains and smelling like the perfume or sweat that was on the cloths before you washed it...
I listened to preachers....good ones, all with different perspectives, good perspectives, perspectives that made sense to me, and if they didn't make sense, perhaps, I wasn't as advanced as they were, or if I didn't like them all together, I would just find another pastor to listen to. I'd find myself frustrated, because there were so many conflicting opinions and perspectives and it was confusing and frustrating and I felt like I wasn't completely getting it... you know, like when you use the Cotton/Normal setting on the H.E. washing machine so you'd get a little cleaner clothes and add fabric softener to eliminate the sweat smell....
...yet after the mask wore off... the clothes still stunk...just like our lives.
Then... I read the instruction manual. (the Bible) What I found out, is that, in order to really scrub my clothes, or life, with this high efficiency washing machine, or lifestyle, I had to dig a little deeper and I had to select additional features. Wow...what a huge difference it made!!! H.E. washing on quick cycle really only works for minor touch ups...you still have to wash, but it's more maintenance instead of scrubbing clean. Many times, that is only needed after several initial scrubbings and very little use. (yes parallel that to life).
So here's my point....you can go through life with H.E. bare minimum. You will get by, at least during this part of life, but it won't guarantee that you will be clean. You can also get by, by listening to the plethora of pastors out there and choose the pastor that best fits your theology. You might even get some God revelations and deepen your knowledge. Again, however, you can't guarantee you will be clean. But if you want to get really clean, you may have to take more time than just high efficiency. You might have to take a little additional time to have a relationship with Christ who can wash you clean, white as snow and will guarantee your eternity...you might have to get out the instruction manual...the Bible, and begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That my friend, is the only way to guarantee your salvation and your eternity.
Wow..what a huge difference it will make!