"Get the Leaven Out!"

Jas 1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. Jas 1:21

Tanya and I tried several different HVAC service providers, and their answers were always the same.  “Mr. and Mrs. Collins, there is no need to replace your upstairs air conditioning system.  The compressor is working, no refrigerant gas is leaking, and the unit is putting out cool air.  It’s better to leave it alone and wait until it completely gives up the ghost.  Then we can talk about installing new equipment.”  They were right … well, somewhat.

When you need wise counsel about such matters, whom can you call?  He or she has to be knowledgeable, experienced, and economical.  I called my best friend.  He knew an excellent company, based on his own personal experience.

First the technician found that the main capacitor, which stores and discharges electricity in large amounts to operate the compressor, was only functioning at 95% of the specs. In its weaker moments it was failing, and we were sometimes getting less-than-cool air as a result.  He installed the new part. We asked for a service agreement and gave him a check.

A few days later a second man came to clean.  He dared to go where no man had gone before, at least not for long: into the sweltering high-temperature attic!  There he remained, taking that unit apart and cleaning the individual pieces.  The water drainage line was plugged up; he cleared it out.  The fins and blades were filthy; he wiped off the gunk.  The coils were surrounded by dirt and dust; he removed all that had accumulated.

When he came down, he said, “It’s going to run cleaner, cooler, and healthier.”

The unit did not need replacing.  It just needed cleaning.  So it is with you, child of God.  You are not broken, worthless, or obsolete.  But you will be a much more effective, efficient servant of Christ if you clean out whatever is polluting your spiritual life.  The Hebrews’ eating bread without leaven (Ex 12:14-20) provides a powerful metaphor for Christians.

… a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  1 Cor 5:6-8

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.  2 Cor 7:1

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes (cleans), that it may bear more fruit.  John 15:2                        -- Cory Collins