Motivation to Clean (Part 1)

I will be the first to admit that I fail daily at keeping my house clean.

I can't even begin to tell you how many daily cleaning schedules I have pinned, used a couple of times, and failed to use again.

While lists, printables, and schedules are great tools, they will not work if you lack the motivation and consistency to use them!

Since I know that I am not alone in this struggle, I thought I would walk you through some of the motivating reasons why we should keep our homes clean.

Part 1: A Biblical Perspective

...and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.  -  Titus 2:4-5 (ESV)

The most important reason we keep clean homes is because it brings glory to God.  A biblical role for women is to be the primary person responsible for the care of the home (Note: this does not mean that women cannot work outside of the home.  Check out the many businesses the Proverbs 31 women is involved in).  Fulfilling our God-given roles points others toward the amazing truths of God.  In fact, the verse points out that not living in accordance with God's purpose for our life "reviles [hates, despises] the word of God."

Let Me be a Woman is a beautiful collection of letters that Elizabeth Elliot wrote to her engaged daughter.  In regards to staying organized and keeping a well-maintained home, she wrote the following:

The way you keep your house, the way your organize your time, the care you take in your personal appearance, the things you spend your money on all speak loudly about what you believe.  'The beauty of Thy peace' shines forth in an ordered life.  A disordered life speaks loudly of disorder in the soul. (1989, p 45-46)

If you are struggling with keeping a clean house, first look to your spiritual health.  You may want to ask yourself these questions:

•  Am I striving to bring God glory in all that I do?
• Do I recognize and give importance to my responsibility as caretaker of the home?
• Is my home a reflection of the beautiful order of the Gospel?
• What personal spiritual struggles are demonstrated through the disorder of my home?

One marvelous part of the gospel is grace.  These questions reveal unpleasant aspects of myself, but I don't have to live in shame.  Let us come before the Lord today, asking him to reveal our insufficiencies and fill us with the power of the Spirit.  We can do this with His help!

What Biblical truths help keep you motivated to maintain a clean home?