I wake up this morning, and look at my room – it's the first thing I see. Suffice it to say, I groaned. This Christmas season has seen a busier AND distracted side of me.
Is it important to clean my room? Why would it be important? Messiness can reflect a room that is being used for good, right? Every time a room is cleaned, it gets messy again so easily anyway, so I should just leave it. Right?
Most parents I know don't like having to take a dive and swim to get through their children's room. Additionally, our Heavenly Father does have reasons for why we should have a clean room. I'll share only three.
Reason #1: How we treat the smaller things of life reflects how we'll treat the bigger things when they are given to us.
This is true not only in keeping rooms clean, but in trials, responsibilities, friendships, challenges, gifts, etc.
Paul counselled Timothy, “for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (1 Tim. 3:5).
I'd like to rephrase his counsel to say, “for if a man know not how to rule his own [room], how shall he take care of the church of God?”
The discipline and diligence contained in keeping a room clean daily (and I really mean daily) will make other efforts considerably easier.
Reason #2: The cleanliness of one's room can reflect the virtues that are deep within all of us, as children of God, and help to bring those virtues to strength and use everyday.
I present here a list of doctrines, principles, scriptures and guidelines that Elder Lynn G Robbins shares for this reason:
– “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15).
– “Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God” (D&C 132:8).
– “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish . . . a house of order” (D&C 88:119).
– “Let all things be done in cleanliness before me” (D&C 42:41).
– Keeping our home clean and orderly is a sign of wise stewardship and shows gratitude and respect to the Lord.
– Be considerate: always leave a room cleaner than you found it.
– Our home is a sacred place; we keep it clean and orderly to be a more inviting place for the Spirit, like the temple.
– There is a feeling of happiness and contentment when we take care of our things and live in a clean and orderly environment.
– Identify a place for everything and keep everything in it its place.
Which of the above do you experience daily, or feel a burning testimony inside for? Of those that you and I don't feel that burning testimony, when will you and I change for it?
Reason #3: Among the doctrines for keeping a room clean, God gives us the stewardship over our room to teach us of responsibility, agency, accountability and judgment.
Although a considerable amount of God's children on earth have their own room, a large amount also do not. I consider it a gift from God to have your own room (as also sharing a room is a gift from God – that's a discussion for a later date).
How do I treat this gift, if all I have is not truly and originally my own?
I believe cleanliness and order will be a question to ask ourselves if we are serious candidates for the Celestial Kingdom. One day, I will stand before God and present before him my family, my callings I've held, my full-time mission, and I believe I will also present before Him my room.
How will I feel on that day?
So, how is your room looking this Christmas? Does it reflect order and discipline like a room belonging to an Apostle? Or does it reflect a war you had with North Korea?
It is raining this morning – a beloved primary hymn is “I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain, and ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again” (Primary Hymnbook, page ___). Just as I can be clean again through the Atonement, so can my room. It can be one of the many gifts I give to God this Christmas.
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