We think we have to be clean to serve God. We think we can never be clean enough to be an example for others, unless it is a cautionary tale. We have this idea that if we want to be a useful tool in God’s hands, we have to first clean ourselves up, and somehow remain spotless before the world. We have such a distorted view of what God wants for us and from us.

I think instead of worrying about being clean enough to be worthy of His love, His mercy, His grace, we would be better off trying to get a little more of His dust on us. What do I mean by that? We need to go as Jesus went. We need to touch as Jesus touched. We need to love as Jesus loved. Our pastor’s son preached for us last week and he used the phrase “We need to get His dust on us.” I loved it!

We read in the Bible that Jesus went to the sinful tax collector’s house. He sat at the well and visited with the woman who was the town “lady of the night.” He was among the people. But, he wasn’t doing what the people did. He was there with them. Showing them their lives had value. Showing them that God loves them just as they are and offers them the opportunity of a new life lived for him.

We need His dust on us in order to look more like Him and to love more like Him. We come to Him with the dirt of sin on us. He cleanses us by forgiving our sins and extending mercy and grace to us. Then He places us in the world to serve Him. We serve Him best by showing the world what He has done for us. We serve Him by sharing with others the story of His grace and His love. We serve Him best by getting a little of His dust on us.

I say this often, and I say it often because it is true. We live in a world that needs to know Jesus. The community in which you live is full of people who have no knowledge of the saving grace of our Savior. We know that Jesus is coming again. We don’t know when that day is. We know that we will each die. We don’t know when that day is. We are surrounded by people who are hurting and searching for something to give them the peace they need. Why do we not feel a sense of urgency about this? Why are we so uninterested in sharing God’s love with the world? It is a mystery to me and I am just as guilty as everyone else!

It is time for us to get a little dirty. It is time for us to get His dust on us. Get in the world and make a difference in the world. We need to share God with the world and that means having His dust on us. Get out there today and get dusty! Make a difference.