My wife and I have been preparing our apartment for our first baby, and the process has me thinking: what is the ultimate point of tidying and cleaning?

I want to draw a parallel to what Saint Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11 and 12 about the body and its members. 

"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ ... If the whole body were an eye ... where would be the hearing? ... But now God has set the members, each one of them in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? ... God has appointed these [members of the body] in the church ... Love never fails."

Saint Paul writes about the body of the church and its members and beautifully illustrates this analogically to the human body and its members. So how does this relate to tidying and cleaning? 

Well, to put any member of your living space in order means it is able to participate more fully towards the function of the whole body of your living space. If all the furniture were in disarray, food were left out on the counter, and wall decoration was on the floor, things would, of course, be far from functional. 

The body, mind, and soul feel more at home when things are more orderly. And that's what I can tangibly feel as my wife and I prepare for this baby. A few of our rooms have changed for the purpose of accommodating a newborn.  

And we don't prepare and clean our space for the sake of preparation and cleaning. Ultimately, the purpose is love and beauty. It is to allow for beauty to shine forth from the order, and so that we can love our newborn to the fullest. 

Thanks for reading! You know, it's easy to procrastinate. But it's never worth it. On the other hand, it's difficult to put your living space in order. But it's always worth it. 

Share this post with a friend or loved one who could benefit from the message. Feel free to comment on the post as well. See you in the next one!

Nick

Note about the cover image of Saint Paul: I am almost 100% certain the iconographer is Aidan Hart; aiming to give credit where credit is due!