JAMES 4:7-10: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” NLT

OBSERVATION: I grew up in California during the 1960s as a young boy. We did not have 24/7 children’s television programming or electronic screens in our hands to occupy our time. If we wanted to fight boredom during the long, hot days or summer, the only recourse we had was to go outside and play.

A normal summer day was filled with playing over-the-line (a version of baseball with fewer players, basketball, football, or going on a bike ride for hours at a time. We did this in the height of the smog crisis in California. The air really is cleaner today than it was when I was growing up. I remember the grey haze that hung over the Southern California skyline. Yet, it did not dissuade us.

We played under these dark and dirty skies!

A young boy has a lot more stamina than an adult. You can take a fall and get right back up. You can play for hours at a time without tiring. Yet, there was one thing I could not do as a young boy. I could not avoid the effects that playing in the smog had on my body. More times than I can remember, I would have to go home, wheezing because it was hard to breathe. The only thing I found that helped was to drink a cold glass of milk and lie down for a while.

As I read these familiar verses in James, chapter four, I could not help but remember my childhood. I did create the smog; I could not even drive. However, I was affected by the smog every time I went outside to play.

We live in a world that is filled with spiritual and emotional smog. We may not be responsible for it, but every day we live in this world, we feel its effects on our lives.

This made me think about Jesus’ words to Peter on the night of the Last Supper. Peter had refused to let Jesus wash his feet. To Peter, this was a degrading thing for Jesus to do. Jesus told Peter that if he did not allow Jesus to wash his feet, he would have no part in being His disciple. The discourse that follows is very interesting.

“Simon Peter exclaimed, ‘Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!’ Jesus replied, ‘A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” (John 13:9-10 NLT)

Peter was Jesus’ disciple. Peter believed in Jesus. Peter did not need to be saved over and over again. Yet, Peter needed to have his feet washed. In other words, Peter needed the dirt and residue of this world to be washed from his soul. Wearing sandals on dusty roads resulted in dirty feet. You could not avoid it. Playing in the smog affected healthy lungs. And living in a fallen world affects our souls and emotions.

So how do we do this?

We need to be cleansed from ‘Soul Pollution’ daily. James writes one of the Bible’s most practical books. He does not mince words. He is clear and to the point. Here is what James gives as a prescription for dealing with ‘Soul Pollution’.

• Humble yourselves before God: Like Peter, I need to humble myself before God and realize that my soul (spiritual feet) gets dirty each day and needs cleansing.

• Resist the Devil: Satan uses ‘Soul Pollution’ as a means to draw me away from God. Resisting is not yelling. I resist the enemy when I choose to obey God!

• Come close to God: This is a command with a promise. If I come close to God through worship, prayer, and His Word, God will come close to me. In other words, Jesus will wash my ‘spiritual feet’ and protect me! (See 1 John 1:8-9).

• Sincerely Repent: I need to bring every sin, thought, and bit of ‘Soul Pollution’ to the Lord in sincere repentance. I cannot afford to ignore the dust on my (spiritual) feet. Even the smallest amount of ‘Soul Pollution’ that is left to fester in my life will begin to draw me away from the One who alone can forgive, cleanse, and protect me!

Let God Lift Me: The renewing of the Holy Spirit in my life through God’s Word is like the cold glass of milk I drank when I came home wheezing from the smog, as a young boy. When I bring my ‘Soul Pollution’ to the Lord, He lifts me. He gives me grace. He renews my soul. He fills me anew with the Holy Spirit so that I can face another day with joy and confidence!

‘Soul Pollution’ happens each day we live in a fallen world. We need to know when it is time to come into the presence of God so that we can find grace and mercy before it begins to affect our lives.

Heavenly Father, help me hear Your voice when my soul is weary, and I need to be cleansed and renewed. This morning I humble myself before You. Grant me the grace to resist the enemy by obeying Your Word. I run to You knowing that in Your loving arms I will find the forgiveness, cleansing, rest, and protection I need!

Jesus, wash my ‘spiritual feet’ from ‘Soul Pollution’!

In Jesus’ Name!