Atmosphere

A cold front came through our area, about a week ago. The temperature dropped so drastically, until I was forced to turn on the heat. However, before I did that, I had to change the filter; it was so ready to go!

As I changed it out, I noticed that the vents, which cover the filter, needed cleaning. So very meticulously, I cleaned and washed each vent, all 155 of them. Upon completing this part of the task, I proceeded to mix a potion of essential oils with some water, place them in a sprayer bottle and spray my filter. Yummy! The intent – to create a pleasant atmosphere in the home, before my husband arrived!

As I painstakingly washed those tiny little vents, the thought arose in my mind. “Here you are taking all of this time, away from your busy schedule to clean these vents, select just the right oils and spray this filter, so that you can create a pleasant smell to the nose and thereby trigger a more positive response from those inhaling these scents; but what about the spiritual atmosphere, with which you drape your soul?”

“Hummm!” I thought. The idea continued, “Is there a welcoming atmosphere that greets all of those with whom you come into contact? Is your smile genuine; your words sincere; your intent to serve, legitimate? Or is it all just a sham? Do people feel comfortable enough in your presence that they long to stay there? Do they sense the spirit of Christ in your actions and your atmosphere; or is it tainted and dirty? Does your attitude, which sets the tone for your atmosphere, in need of cleaning? Have you meticulously wiped away the ungodly and the unpleasant tones that make a person unapproachable and haughty?

I seriously had to stop and do a “self-check”, a term I’ve picked-up from my hubby over the years. Each time that he feels his peace fading from his heart, or the smile leaving his face, not to mention his patience straining, he immediately “self-checks” to see what might be in his character that needs removing, tweaking or altering. Therefore, since I was still home alone, I did some self-checking, and thankfully I passed the self-test this time. My heart, as I understand purity, was in check; then slowly the Lord brought back to mind the many people who call me for prayer, because they respect my relationship with God; the ones who ask me to make plain a Scripture verse, because they believe that I have understanding, or those who just chill out in my presence and enjoy my company. It was after that, that the idea leaped into my head, “This is a life lesson that you must share. It might be that some reader needs to do some self-checking, so that the atmosphere which surrounds his or her soul can be sweetened; so that he or she might realize that there might something lacking that only Christ can fill. Therefore, here you have it. What you do with what has come to you today is personal. No one else can make the proper assessments but you. What are you waiting for? Self-check!

More: Lessons About God