Today I engaged that in that old battle. One that I have engaged in many times over the last several years. The battle with the hotel iron. Yes, thats right, the battle with the iron to get your clothes presentable after squooshing them in the luggage!
This morning I thought I had it whipped. I put in some water, turned in on high and when to town on my shirt, only to see wrinkles that would not go away. Argh! I really hate to iron anyway, its a neccassity of life, that I find so mundane. So, back to the story, I then reallized, that is was not producing enough steam. I puledl it into the sink, filled it to overflowing with water, and then though the cloud of mist and steam, I could see a nice flat pressed shirt appearing on the iron board.
Aren’t we like that some times. Just not full enough to be effective? There’s nothing more irrating then ironing with a cold iron – ironing with an iron that is not operational. Whats the purpose? Its a waste of time. There is no impact on the clothes. You can press harder, move it faster or yell at it, and it doesn’t matter, a cold iron is just that – a cold iron.
In the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, Jesus mentions something like this:
13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
He tells us that we are to be effective, useful and impact others. Today, don’t be unsalty salt, don’t be an unlit candle, don’t be a cold iron. Fill yourself up, turn the steam on high, and impact what you touch.