A clean thought. A clean towel. A clean mug for coffee. Something clean to wear. Clean relationships.
"Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Cor 13:8
As people in a fallen world we see 'through a glass darkly' but mirrors were not made of glass then they were made of steel. You could translate this 'now our reflection is an enigma; but then face to face'.
Christ is love. A love that must be experienced. Knowing Christ is an objective experience. It is not the subjective riddle of reflection. He is a love that passes understanding right on by. Yet, He is seen by understanding. He is our clean thought.
As children we speak about things we barely know. We come to conclusions but we don't understand life and how it is. This innocence serves well for faith but fails us in reflection. We need the wisdom that preaching and communication brings to nurture us into an understanding that will only be complete once we are face to face with God and self reflection will cease. Once that happens we will never look at ourselves and say, 'But, I am naked and afraid' again. Dim reflection will be past.
The clean thought comes from beyond self. It comes from a love that is beyond fallen man. Christ as a quickening Spirit comes in and makes us mature and alive. We put away childish thinking and in maturity our knowledge frees us to be childlike in faith because of liberty.
How will my day go if I start it with something clean and cleansing? How will my breath smell if I brush my teeth? How will my mind think?
We can look in the mirror to brush our hair and yet because of redemptive knowledge refuse to peer at self. Realizing our reflection and not denying what we see but moving past it to live a 'face to face' life knowing the clean one sees us as clean already because of what He has done.
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