Clean in the Manger......

Proverbs 14:4 says, 

"Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, 

But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox."

There are plastic peas by the front door.  A tent taking up half the kid's floor space, a plastic cooker under the table with half a teapot balanced precariously on top of the fake stove and cars lined up by the fridge are all examples of the glaring reality I don't have a clean manger.  

How about your manger?  One thing I love about Indian hospitality is that it is given with no apologies.  No one says,  "Sorry my house is such a mess."  No one says, "Sorry you can't come in, my kids are in the middle of painting and the last thing I want is visitors." Of course there are still rules and guidelines but no apologies for messes.  

It is ironic how when we welcome people to our home we, American, Westerners, tend to say sorry for something.  Maybe you don't apologize however it seems to be the norm to say sorry for something.  Sometimes something not even noticeable. And there are some who just don't have people over.  

Ever.

Little islands.  

Autonomous. 

Independent.

Together. 

Together no longer works as an American word denoting a sense of community but moonlights as an adjective describing a person who is self-confident, well-organized, individually capable. 

However as a mom of young (do not read here "young mom" but rather mom of young who is unexperienced and not at all "together") I am fighting this cultural norm.  It isn't just about me it is about the person coming to my home.  What if their home is worse?  What if they don't have a floor to clean or toys to make a mess.  What if my apology makes them feel unwelcome?  Why am I apologizing?  Am I afraid of man or am I practicing hospitality that says "Welcome to my home, my mess, my life, Christ in me and in my living."

I know that I am preachy and preaching to the choir but I am mulling on these things.  Mulling over my cultural responses that are not Biblical towards hospitality. 

It was awhile ago. My house was in the sticky state of chaos that revealed Abe was helping in the kitchen, learning to wash his own hands and Zana was helping take down the wet laundry.  I had gotten them both out the door, down the flight of dingy stairs by the beetle juice spit corner without anyone touching, to the car, in the car and out the gate, through the city and to another foreigner's home.  I felt like Superwoman.  This lovely lady is at a different season of life and her home was this sanctuary of peace and tranquility.  It was spotless.  Spotless.  But on the heels of a warm welcome came the apology.  And I felt a sinking feeling of how can I ever invite this woman to my home if she thinks her home is messy.  Fear of man.  Not good.  But also the wheels started spinning about her words.  For me what would a house like that mean?

Yelling. 

Screaming.

Constant cleaning, straightening and no reading aloud!

No finger painting.

No cars!

No trains!

No fun.

So live a little.  

Maybe you don't have kids, or little ones to make a mess.  

Maybe you live alone.  Think with me.  

What would a mess look like?  Is my manger too clean?  

Am I worshipping my manger instead of my God?  

Worshipping what people think of my manger instead of listening to my King?

So here is my recipe for a royal disaster.  If you live in the States or another Western nation, make chili on Saturday, enough for 20 people, (it might mean taking something off the shopping list for the week if you budget), don't super clean your house (maybe use two wipes to wipe your bathroom down), buy some rolls from a supermarket (not a bakery), and go to church on Sunday ready to invite someone you don't know well over to your home for chili and a nap on your couch!

Seriously. 

And when they say no be ready to ask someone else, and then someone else and then someone else.

Till someone says yes.

And then......

don't apologize. 

at all.

And when it is all over be willing for things to be a little messier than you want on Sunday.

Trust me there will be revenue.

Please pray for me as we welcome new people to our team.  Pray that I open my home and my heart and am willing to be honest about what my house REALLY looks like.

Pray I work hard to make our house a home, and that I work hard to let my manger be messy because there are little people here who like to mess it up.