Cleaning Drawers

What you’re after is truth
from the inside out.
Enter me, then,
conceive a new, true life.

Psalm 51:6 (The Message)

Jack Rogers, a Presbyterian pastor, once gave an illustration of the difference between Luther’s reformation and that of John Calvin. The two reformations, said Rev. Rogers resemble the cleaning out of a dresser drawer. In Luther’s reformation he pulled out the drawer, took out only those parts of the Catholic tradition that he believed were detrimental. John Calvin, on the other hand, pulled out the drawer, dumped everything out on the bed and put back into the drawer only what he believed was good for the life the church.

There’s no leaning here towards one denomination or another! Instead this delightful comparison also represents what God wants to do in our lives. We are that dresser drawer. When God pulls it out to take a look it may be that the accumulated junk inside prevents anyone from seeing who we truly are as Jesus followers. But, God is looking for that which speaks of the complete person. Through difficulties, hardships, downturns and disappointments our drawer contents are dumped out in order to find what has been lost—truth about who we are in Christ.

The best part of this analogy is that God never leaves our drawer empty once he’s done his reforming. Having cleaned it thoroughly, he puts back only that which pleases him and will bring him glory. With this “reformation” there are no fears of being discovered a fraud. What people see is exactly what they will get—a person whose identity is in the truth of God’s love.

Open me up Lord!
Clean out my life’s drawer
so that whoever sees me
will know the truth of
your amazing love.
Amen.