The Responsibility

(Scene One) I gazed critically at the dirty sink.  How could it have came to this? I groaned inwardly.

The day was Saturday,  our major weekly cleaning day.  Of course, the house gets cleaned during the week, but Saturday is major.  Saturday gets us ready and prepared for the Lord's day; plus, after a full week, the house tends to be dirty, if even in some spots more than others.

The kids' bathroom was dirty.

(Scene Two) This time I groaned aloud.  Again I gazed upon a dirty sink, filled to overflowing with dishes.

This scene could not be helped.  The day was Monday.  Every Monday the sink is full of dishes.  This particular week happened to be mine.  Dishes piled atop each other, all encrusted with food.  The dishwasher was full as well.  All the dishes smelled like yesterdays meals. (what's with the irony?)

I felt pretty discouraged.   

Ok, let's say I felt pretty angry.

I do NOT want to deal with all this! I cried to myself.  

I wanted to hurry through it all and be done.  Oh to be done!  But no, I had that responsibility.  Did I want to prove myself to be mature, or a little baby who couldn't handle a sink full of dishes?

Dishes are a small responsibility compared to other things.  But it is still a responsibility.  How many times do we hurriedly skip over things just to be done so we can do our own thing?  Is that a premonition of what we will do when we have our own home to tend?  Our own children to take care of?  I most assuredly would not want my husband coming in from a long day at work to a dirty house, unkempt children, laundry everywhere, dishes piled high, beds unmade, etc. etc.  I will want to have an orderly and clean house that I wouldn't be ashamed of.

But, too many times I do not have things in order.  Either I hurriedly do the job, or don't do it altogether.  Shamefully I admit.  I'd rather be off, doing what I please.  That is not maturity.  That is not responsibility.

What does it say about the Proverbs 31 woman?  "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." (verse 27)  

As keepers of the home we are not be idle and lazy, only doing what pleases us. (yes, let me tell you there is some housework that is not pleasing.)  We are to be good stewards.  That means we are to put others first, clean that toilet even-though-it-seems-to-be-the-most-disgusting-thing-EVER, do that laundry, wash those dishes, make those beds, clean those rooms, vacuum and sweep those those dirty floors.  "A man works from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done."  (Don't know where that comes from, but it is funny nonetheless.)

I am so irresponsible many times.  But I want to thought of as accountable, not shiftless and lazy.  I don't want my years to be wasted with laziness.  So from now on, I will try to act responsible.  The Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible is the best example we can imitate. (oh, did I mention my mom as well?)

By the way, in the end, I did my part faithfully and washed all those dishes.  In the end, it was a real pleasure to see a clean and tidy kitchen.