Yesterday morning, I was running late.  Tuesday’s always a busy day at the church, but this week the to-do list was especially full with several appointments, our weekly staff meeting and a special luncheon. I needed to get a jump on the day.

As I rushed from the bedroom into the hallway, I stopped dead in my tracks, horrified.  There, right at the top of the steps, was a large, vile, sin-black, disgusting stain.  I’ll spare you the details, but it was right next to the dog’s bed and had evidently been sitting and soaking all night on our white wall-to-wall carpet.  Oh no!

The stain had an unfortunate backstory. Monday night our little beagle Chloe gave us the slip.  Usually when we put her in the back yard, we put her on a rope lead.  But sometimes, if we’re in a hurry or the lead’s tangled up, we can let her out unleashed to do her business as long as we keep an eye on her. Nine times out of ten she returns to the door on her own. But occasionally if we turn our back for long, she’ll wander off.  Well, Monday we got distracted and by the time Pam and I realized she was still out she was gone.

It was dark outside, but with a bit of effort we found her sniffing around the neighbor’s yard and led her back home. She scampered into the house, quite pleased with her little adventure. Lord knows what she came across and ate, but our Tuesday morning present evidenced that her impromptu and unknown snack didn’t agree with her at all.

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how difficult it was to keep our carpet clean, particularly in high traffic areas. S0, this nasty pile felt like the last straw.  There’s NO WAY that we will ever get this clean. I was already late, so I rushed out and my saintly wife took over clean up (Thank you Pam!). And I agreed to hit the stain hard when I got home that night.  The expense of replacing carpet loomed in my mind throughout the day.  Can something like this be patched somehow?

When I got home, I moved into action. Pam had done what she could with carpet spray and towels, but even so, there was a pronounced dark nasty stain still visible. So, armed with a shop vac, leftover carpet cleaning solution, some near-boiling water, and a stiff scrub brush I attacked the stain.    I hit it with everything I had- scrubbing, spraying, vacuuming… repeat, repeat, repeat.  And to my amazement the stain gradually faded until it disappeared.  The carpet looks great.  I was astounded.

All my married life, Pam (and before that my mother) has told me about dealing with stains early before they set.  Once a stain is dry, particularly if it goes through a dryer cycle, it becomes almost impossible to get out.  But if you get it early with the right cleaning solution, the chances of success are much higher.  It’s a lesson I’ve often overlooked as I carelessly toss stained garments into the hamper with a nonchalant, “Oops, sorry.”  But I’m a believer now.  The damage of stains can be arrested by dealing with them early.

“The damage of stains can be arrested by dealing with them early.”

… hmmmm. Is there a spiritual parallel here?

The Enemy often throws dark, corrosive, and damaging situations at us, like  nasty stains on the fibers of our souls. It could be a recurring sin that taints our conscience, a toxic relationship that poisons our emotional well-being, or an unhealthy choice that corrodes our spiritual growth. Our natural tendency may be to conceal these issues or hope they just go away. But stubborn stains, don’t resolve themselves; instead, they set and harden, creating lasting harm.

The Bible echoes this in Proverbs 28:13 (NIV), “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” The act of acknowledging and dealing with issues quickly prevents them from permanently bonding  to our soul, leading to spiritual destruction and disruption.

My carpet cleaning experience reminds me of the importance of not ignoring but addressing sin and brokenness immediately. Addressing our faults immediately and vigorously, activates God’s mercy and grace releasing us from stains and gives us a fresh start. So, let’s not procrastinate in addressing problems. Whether resolving conflicts with loved ones, addressing issues at work or dealing with personal sins and brokenness.

“The damage of stains can be arrested by dealing with them early.”