There Is Dirt On The Way To Heaven

Last year, around this time, I spent a couple of hours with a man who is on a 5-year bicycle journey across the states raising the awareness of a POW in the Iraq war. He came into my office shedding many layers of clothing and then spent an hour or so telling me his story. In the end I asked how I could be of help to him, resulting in my taking him to the Comfort Inn and putting him up for two nights and buying him lunch at McDonalds. From there he would continue his biking journey into Minnesota. After unloading his bike, his huge pack and some of his clothing from the back of my Saturn and him from my front passenger seat I noticed quite a bit of dirt and slush from the snow in the back as well as some grease on the passenger seat. I tend to obsess a bit about neatness and the ‘dirt’ left behind caused me a small amount of anxiety. With rags, vacuum, and Resolve to the rescue I was able to get past that moment.

In reflection of my helping the man, but being a bit anxious about the dirt left behind, I realized that there is dirt on the way to heaven. We encounter dirt in many forms as we strive to live better lives and help those around us. John Wesley wrote what is known as the General Rules for Society. One of these rules tells us we are to be merciful and when possible do good, in every way, to all humanity. Yet, in doing so we often times have to go outside our comfort zone. I am very comfortable when things are nice, neat, orderly and just so. Unfortunately, that isn’t always how it is for me. Life itself isn’t very nice, neat, orderly and just so and sometimes I just have to resolve myself to this. No pun intended!

Quite a number of years ago I spent two years overseeing the Feed the Homeless program for our church in Madison. The people I met were homeless folks who hadn’t showered, brushed their teeth or changed their clothing in days. Nevertheless, they were interesting and in different ways quite wonderful people. I served them dinner, sat next to them, and ate meals with them. I’ve also worked on missions’ trips helping to rebuild buildings, cut back brush and dig ditches. I remember going back to the church where we stayed barely having enough energy to take a shower. I was tempted to fall asleep with several layers of dirt on me more than once. In my own younger life I have strayed, at times, from the path Jesus put before me – delving in my own forms of ‘dirt’.

There are many kinds of dirt in our lives, isn’t there? Yet, with a bit of resolve (or Resolve), with faith in Jesus, with prayer, with help from those around us, with being part of a faithful church family, with strength from the Holy Spirit and with commitment to Christ we can make our way through the dirt. We can be washed clean. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 7)

Let us go forth today knowing we are cleansed on our way to heaven even as we give ourselves to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Until next time peace and blessings,


Pastor Patrick