Sugar Soap

The bedroom ceiling looked fine to me, even after a couple of decades of neglect. Still white. 

But actually, now it has been washed with sugar soap and rinsed, it looks brilliant white. Almost too good to bother painting again – though we will as we are renewing the wallpaper and everything else in there.

It makes me think, though, how perceptions and standards can be skewed. I look at something I’ve done, perhaps, and think it’s pretty good, but actually it could be better. I think it’s easy to look at life as a Christian, too, and be a bit complacent. Easy to tick off the good things I’ve done or nice things people have said and think that’s good enough.

But Paul says, basically, never to take your eye off the ball. Focus on Jesus and keep running the race. Don’t be distracted; don’t think the race is over until it is. 

It takes discipline and resolve. Sometimes we need to pull out and shower – get rid of the world’s dirt and dust that sticks as we go through it. Sometimes we need to be refreshed – we can’t run forever without topping up with Jesus’ life-giving water. And then we need to get out there again and continue with the race. 

Not because we have to. Not out of duty. Out of love for Jesus. Knowing that as we run his race, we’re running with him. 

Running beside him reveals the need I have for more sugar soap. The contrast is pretty noticeable. But he is gentle and loving and ready to forgive. 

Yippee.