Clean Hands

Lina has been after me for several years to be more thorough in my hand-washing. After my most recent skirmish with a cold in August, I am practically now OCD about hand-washing. Enough is enough.

The world is a dirty place and it is good practice to routinely wash the mitts as a way of maintaining cleaner hands.

We can go too far the other way (literally, on one hand) and refuse to touch the dirt and there is mounting evidence that the avoidance of dirt and over-use of anti-bacterial soaps are making people less resistant to fighting off disease. Their immune systems turn weak because the presence of germs dictates a bodily response and that reaction builds strength through use. That has been my argument in times past to what I considered excessive washing. I have had to pull it back to the other hand because of getting b-slapped by illness.

So, now it is hot water and regular bar soap without the anti-bacterial component every couple of hours in addition to when using the loo.

Spiritually, we need to resist the evil around and in us (spiritual immunity) and routinely cleanse ourselves through confession and the washing of the Word. Rather than avoid the world, "don't touch", God calls us to convey health by our hands (actions) and heart (intentions).

Job 17:9

Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.