This morning after I woke and brushed my teeth (definite first order of business), and as I came downstairs for my Bible reading and coffee, I thought of something I had not thought of before. As my hand slid down the banister leading downstairs, I thought to myself, “I wonder how dirty this banister is.”

Not the most pleasant thought to start your day, but there you have it.

While we are long past the days of diaper changing in my home, we still have a healthy supply of baby wipes. So, I grabbed them from the closet and brought them to the banister. You wouldn’t believe what one swipe revealed. The wood of our banister is pretty dark, so it conceals the dirt that normal daily life brings in a house with 6 people living in it.

And as I continued my way up the banister with baby wipe in hand, I was amazed at the contrast that began to emerge. What once looked like a normal banister now looked like a clean banister. Once I was satisfied that I had gone over the entire banister, I got out some wood polish/protectant and gave it a healthy covering and worked it in with a rag.

I dare you to stand up right now and go to a place in your home that might be hiding a dirty little secret. Maybe its a banister, or handrail, or doorknob, or molding around a high-traffic door. Whever it is, grab a damp white cloth, give it a good wipe, and take a look at the cloth.

In the dailyness of our lives, we might get accustomed to a certain amount of grime or build-up in relationships, habits, attitudes, or in our spirit, and subconsciously let the need for regular confession slip into the same category as regular flossing. (A shout-out to all my fellow non-flossers out there! Whoop, Whoop!)

May it be that when I awake tomorrow, descend down the stairs, and run my hand along that banister, that I immediately am reminded of my need for the forgiveness and embrace of God–that is ever present and always free.