Many women looking for a theme verse for spring cleaning their homes would instinctively gravitate to Proverbs 31:27 and its description of the godly woman as “looking well to the ways of her household.” Others might select Titus 2:3-5, focusing on the character and responsibilities a woman should practice so that God’s Word is not discredited. First Corinthians 14:40 may also be a logical choice with Paul’s words that “all things should be done decently and in order.”
Though each of these verses motivates a woman to create a well-managed home, the passage that challenges me to spring clean my home is John 14:1-4. The tender scene described in that passage occurs in the Upper Room as Jesus is preparing His disciples for the devastating events that would soon occur. Fast-forwarding beyond the impending events, He comforts the disciples by sharing that He will soon leave them in order to prepare a place for them in heaven:
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.
Jesus promised to prepare a place for you and me. When He takes you to heaven, you will not find disorder and dirt. Jesus will have everything ready, and you will enter into a home that is sparkling clean and welcoming beyond what you can imagine.
The happiest home on earth cannot compare with the life that awaits you and me in heaven—an environment void of sadness, sickness, and tears. One that is constantly peaceful, perfect, lacking nothing. Heaven is home for all those who turn from their sin and receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior (see Rom 9:9-13). Heaven is the ultimate “House Beautiful”: angels (Rev 5:11), a street of gold (Rev 21:21), twelve beautiful gates of pearl (Rev 21:21), a pure and clear-as-crystal river of life (Rev 22:1), a city of gold built upon the foundation of precious stones (Rev 21:19), and from the tree of life a different fruit each month (Rev 22:2)—no more searching for the best piece of produce (see Rev 21:9–22:5)!
However, since my heavenly Father still has work for me to accomplish this spring, I am motivated to make my home a bit of heaven on earth. The model Jesus used to prepare a heavenly home for His family is the one I have adopted as my prototype and blueprint. Just as I will not find disorder and dirt when I arrive in heaven, I should enter my earthly home seeing a reflection of that heavenly order and peacefulness. Its ambience should literally draw others to its warming hearth.
If you want your home to be a welcoming environment, you will attempt daily to make those who enter its doors feel welcome. What visual images suggest welcome? First and foremost, someone’s arrival should be joyfully anticipated. Whatever your season of life, the biblical mandate calls for you to prepare your heart and home to welcome family and guests. You prepare your heart by meditating on God’s Word and thinking His thoughts (Phil 4:8-9). You prepare your home to be clean and comfortable so those who abide within will joyfully anticipate returning to this prepared place. Orderliness will give to those who live there a sense of peace and emotional well-being. Kelsey’s Korner provides you with the spring cleaning techniques to create that welcoming home. Combining these techniques with the spiritual techniques I suggested provides the foundation for both a cleansed heart and home to launch your spring season. Happy cleaning!
KELSEY’S KORNER
Sometimes maintaining one’s home can seem like a fruitless waste of time—no matter how much you clean, things continue to get messy. Instead of getting discouraged or wanting to give up, our heart towards cleaning should be to make our home a comfortable and pleasing retreat for our family and a welcoming and warm hub for hospitality (Heb. 13:2). With these goals in mind, cleaning takes on a new meaning that is no longer focused on perfection but on maintaining a comfortable solace for your friends and family (Prov. 14:1).
Where’s the best place to begin? Take a look at your home with a different set of eyes. If we look at our home like a guest would, paying attention to details we normally may miss, sometimes we are surprised with what we find. Cleaning the details, such as dirty baseboards, food drippings on cabinets or walls, and cleaning the dust off our shelves adds a feeling of freshness to our homes that feels welcoming, safe, and comfortable. Would your guests feel cautious about sitting on your floors? Would showering or using your restroom be a pleasant experience? Would they be covered in pet hair by sitting on your couch? These are some questions to ask when cleaning your home.
Although a clean home feels comfortable and safe, a home that’s too clean can quickly feel unwelcoming and restricting. With the goal of others in mind, keep your home at a welcoming and inviting level of cleanliness.
Here are two main lifestyle tips that will help you maintain your home:
Always put things away and never down. Before you leave a space, straighten up. This tip seems simple, but we often don’t do it. Typically if we are interrupted during a project, we leave what we were doing out, thinking we will return to it or clean it up later. It’s surprising, however, how often we don’t quickly return to our projects and how little time it truly takes to put away what we are doing, to refold the blanket, or to put the remote control back into the cabinet. These quick cleans will keep your space organized, happy, and less overwhelming.
Follow a cleaning plan that allows you to clean a little each day. Saturdays used to be my cleaning day, but because it limited my ability to be involved with ministry and my friends and family, I created a cleaning plan based on my weekly schedule that allowed me to clean a little daily. Although your plan may look different depending on the needs/size of your home and your personal weekly schedule, here is an example of a cleaning plan:
o Mondays—Scrub Bathtubs and sinks and sweep the hard floors
o Tuesdays—Clean Surfaces (counters, food splatters on walls, cabinets, mirrors, microwave, refrigerator, etc.)
o Wednesdays—Dust the house and sweep the hard floors
o Thursdays—Scrub and wipe down toilets
o Fridays—Odd jobs (base boards? Blinds? Couch cushions? Grout?)
o Saturdays—Vacuum the house and mop hard floors
o Sundays—Rest from your work!
Although we clean with the best interests of others in mind, ultimately we clean to honor our Father. Remember that He sees our work and will someday reward our efforts (Col. 3:24). Seek to honor Him then in your daily work, striving to have a home that is ready to host strangers, house the needy, and share the Gospel of Christ!
THE EVERYDAY HOMEMAKER’S MONTHLY MEDITATION THOUGHT
God has said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide” (John 15:16).
Therefore, I may boldly say, “I am God’s responsibility.”
Blessings on your day as you focus on making your house a home!