Lessons from Spilt Milk

I love freshly swept and mopped floors. The rest of my house could be in shambles, but if my floors were free from snack crumbs, foot smudges, and cat hair, I feel like I’m living in luxury.

Why clean floors have this effect on me, I don’t know, but my response to when they are sullied reveals a selfishness in my heart. Because life with a toddler means clean floors don’t stay that way for long.

Today, I deep cleaned my house. Laundry, dishes, bathrooms, kitchen, vacuum, the works. I ended with my favorite, you guessed it, sweeping and mopping. I sat down at dinner (leftovers, obviously, because who has time to cook after all that cleaning) proud of my efforts.

And then I saw it happen in slow motion, as my toddler picked up a handful of rice and threw it with force across the kitchen floor. My heart plummeted. Then the milk cup flew off the tray. White liquid marred my gleaming floors. That’s when my anger flared, revealing a selfish indignation I didn’t know I had.

I was so frustrated. All my hard work seemed undone five minutes into dinner. But in that moment, God showed me a picture of His patient grace.

His Son spilled his own blood that I might be cleansed from my sin. And yet, when I choose to disobey the God who gave everything for me, He does not respond in indignation like I did (though His indignation would be righteous).

He sees me just as clean as the day Christ brought me from death to light, cleansing me from my sin.

No, instead, He sees me just as clean as the day Christ brought me from death to light, cleansing me from my sin.

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses…God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14)

God is patient towards His children, not getting frustrated when we choose to soil that which He cleaned with His own Son’s blood. Instead of sending His wrath, he gives more grace. In his loving kindness, His Spirit convicts us of that which dishonors him and empowers us to overcome temptation the next time.

God is patient towards His children, not getting frustrated when we choose to soil that which He cleaned with His own Son’s blood.

As I was on my knees cleaning up rice and milk off my recently mopped floors, instead of letting my anger simmer, I was overwhelmed with gratefulness—that the God of the universe, who is holding galaxies together at that moment, cared about sanctifying this stubborn, selfish momma.

And He cares about your sanctification, too. Even when you willfully choose the sin that cost Christ so much, He will never cease to give you the grace and mercy to become His perfect bride, purified once and for all. “…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)