Tip of My Iceberg

Who knew over four months ago that cleaning supplies would be so hard to find?

Cleaning isn’t my favorite thing in the world–it doesn’t even rank in the top ten. Or twenty. But it is a necessary endeavor to ensure that my home isn’t a hotbed of germs and contagions that could negatively affect others.

I clean out of a sense of duty. Growing up, cleaning the house was one of the chores my two sisters and I were tasked with. Every Saturday, no matter what else was happening, we would diligently clean the house to Mom’s specifications.

No cutting corners there.

When it became obvious with this pandemic that certain things weren’t going to be easy to come by, I was intrigued. When weeks went by and these items still didn’t appear on the shelves, I became annoyed. Disinfectant wipes had become a mainstay at our home, basically because of the parade of grands through the house and the ease with which they could be used.

But disinfectant wipes became things of the past.

Imagine my surprise when John said, “Wipes are on sale. I’m going,” and left. A man on a mission. A big box store near us had the wipes on sale–he’d happened onto a post that told how someone had just purchased them.

Of course, they were limited. Only two could be purchased.

They were in packs of five. That made ten containers of wipes. Enough to clean houses all over our subdivision.

When John returned with his two five-packs, he said people were going in just to get wipes. They’d walk out with their two multi-packs like treasure hunters who had just hit the jackpot.

I never imagined cleaning to be such a high value.

There’s both comedy and sadness in what we value. When there’s the chance that we may not be able to get something that everyone else is saying is necessary, fear and frustration dog our steps because our perceived wants aren’t met. The comedy is in what we choose to stockpile as if we have control over circumstances and can ward off need. Sadness evolves from what we choose to value and yet can’t maintain it.

Challenging circumstances often make us aware of what really matters. Between this pandemic and the current social environment, people are taking a stand on what they see as important.

The bigger question is who are we becoming as individuals in light of the hard circumstances? Better, more considerate people? Treating others with kindness, compassion, and hope? Or does emotion cause us to react instead of responding thoughtfully?

Jesus came to share hope for the world. A Jew, hated by many, preaching of the love and grace of His Father at a time when anger and unfair treatment of others was the norm.

He didn’t compromise who He was. He remained sinless, no matter how He was treated. He didn’t compromise Himself because of His circumstances.

He offers us a chance to live in His power, learning from His values. To consider how we’re choosing to live, how our lives are impacting others around us.

How are your values affecting your lifestyle?

The answer may surprise you.