Living with Clean Filters

As I waited for the mechanic to finish the oil change, he entered through a side door and said, “Your filters are dirty. Do you want us to change them?”

“Sure. Might as well, since I’m already here.”

The variety of filters in our cars have one basic role: to catch any impurities and make sure the car runs smoothly. Extra dirt and gunk clogs the system and ultimately, diminishes the horsepower, damaging the engine.

To discover a great example of living with clean filters, we can look at the life of Jesus. Not just his words, translated and paraphrased into various versions. But looking at the way he actually lived among us. How can we follow the example of Christ during the twenty-first century? What were the action steps Jesus followed that give us clues for how to mirror his example?

• Love the marginalized. Jesus spent most of his time with the poor and with the undesirables who weren’t even allowed into the synagogue. With prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, doubters — with people who were treated as if they were invisible.
• Focus more on service instead of power. Jesus was the God-man who was not afraid to get his hands dirty. I can imagine callouses and blisters on those hands. He spit into the dirt and made mud in order to cure one man’s blindness. He knelt and washed the manure and traveling filth off the sandals of his followers. He refused to accept a golden crown offered by an early kingdom and instead — wore a crown of thorns.
• Be willing to suffer for what is right. Jesus went to the cross. Sometimes we must do the same. Dare to disagree with those who make fun of the disabled. Stand up for our principles no matter what our friends are doing. Take the risks that may cause us to lose something we love, in order to love something greater.
• Live with a higher purpose. It is so easy to focus on our earthly goals, because this planet is where we live. But Jesus showed us how to love God, love others, and love ourselves. When we live with a higher purpose, the distractions and struggles of this world seem less confining. Check out this blog post by Carmen Dillon that underscores the topic of ‘Bigger not Better.’ https://carmendillon.net/2024/09/the-unexpected-path-better-or-just-bigger/

In order to live in soul harmony with peace and joy, we need to make sure our filters are clean. The cares of this world, distractions, ignoring God, and letting worry or fear control us will clog up our system. Our very spirits are diminished. We fail to ‘run the spiritual race’ effectively.

So how can we make sure our filters are clean?

• Constant maintenance. Spending time with God in prayer and Bible study so that the world cannot distract us.
• Discernment. Listening to that inner voice that nudges us toward the truth and away from the fears that threaten us.
• Paying attention to what we let into our souls: what we read, watch, listen to. Subtleties that can steer us in a wrong direction or begin to rust our belief systems.
• Our tribe. Surrounding ourselves with encouragers and mentors who know the truth and how to relay it to us. Staying away from toxic people who try to persuade us to follow a direction we know is wrong.
• Engagement. For an engine to remain strong, it has to be turned on and used. The more we engage with others, the more with seek to love those who seem invisible, the more we serve — the more our inner self stays healthy.

So let’s make sure we are running our personal race with clean filters. Let’s depend on the wisdom of God to direct us toward healing. Let’s support each other with encouragement and keep our spiritual filters clean.

©2024 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved

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Check out my newest book of encouraging posts. Embracing Life with Hope: Daily Encouragement for your Spiritual Journey.