GETTING THE DIRT OUT

I always find lessons in my summer yard work. Last Tuesday provided a perfect one. I had planned to mow my lawn in about a half hour, as usual, but my mower had other ideas, so it wouldn't start.

The trusty Craftsman had been fickle before, but always its motor worked. Just not that day. It would start, then stop. Start, stop. Finally, no start. So I pushed it to the garage and got out the tools! Well, yes, the tank was empty, but after more gas, still no start, no matter what.

I knew enough about small motors to realize it was a fuel problem, so I took part the carburetor off, cleaned things and put it together. Still no start. Took it apart again, cleaned it more, put it together, still no start. Finally, muttering things better left unsaid, I took it apart a third time. This time I blew out all lines and openings with compressed air. Put it together and, YES! it started - on the first pull!

What did I learn? 1) A person can't always fix a problem on a first try, 2) A small bit of dirt can create a big problem, and, 3) Problems don't fix themselves - you have to get involved.

I usually try to to follow "Occam's Razor." William of Occam (died 1347) said that when there are several solutions to a problem, the simplest one is usually the right one. Example: when your printer won't print, check your cables before installing a new printer driver or buying a new printer. Example here: blow out fuel line before putting the motor back together.

Bits of dirt can clog our lives too. We know they're there, but we may not believe they're a problem. Something else or someone else is the problem, not us. So, rather than first getting rid of our own dirt, we blame other people's dirt, or we say dirt is really good for us, or else we ignore the dirt and hope it will disappear. But dirt usually stays, and life may not run well again until it's gone.

That's why Jesus is so important, because He died on Calvary to get rid of our dirt. But first we must admit we are dirty, and then believe He's the only one who can truly clean us up. Trusting Jesus is the simplest solution, the one that always works. William of Occam - priest, philosopher and theologian - would have agreed.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)