Okay, I confess. There’s a part of me that is often tempted to walk out of public restrooms without washing my hands. It’s the dark side of me; the side that wants to sneeze into my hands and then touch Howie Mandel’s face. It’s bad, I know, but when I’m in the men’s room alone, and I know that no one’s watching, it often feels like a total waste of time. After all, who’s really going to know?
It’s not much different in our personal lives. Ephesians 5:25 says that we are washed by the Word, and every day we face the same dilemma that I do in the restroom (Wait! You know what I mean!). We can skip the washing, and probably get away with it – for a while. But eventually, all we’re doing is touching those around us with dirty hands, spreading germs and junk that we could have easily gotten rid of if we’d have just taken the time to wash.
There are lots of words that we could use to describe people who don’t wash their hands in the restroom, but I don’t think a single one of them is complimentary. But let’s go with 2 that probably sum them all up: “rushed” and “self-centered.”
Some people just feel like they can’t take the time to follow the cartoon chart above the sink. They’ve got other important things to do and so the 120 seconds it could take to clean the pee germs off their hands doesn’t seem worth it. Interestingly, these are often business people who will later in the day close a multi-million dollar deal with a handshake or two. Yuck.
Some people are just so self-centered that they think other people actually want their germs. “If I don’t want to wash my hands, then I’m not going to. Who are you to tell me what to do? After all, my hands aren’t that dirty anyway.” In the ultimate “it’s all about me” display, they proudly share their superior germs with everyone in which they come in contact.
But what happens when we realize our actions – even the ones in private – have the potential to affect everyone we come in contact with past that point? What happens when we become aware of others around us?
We wash. If my boys – or anyone, for that matter – are in the restroom, it changes everything. Since I know that people should wash their hands after, well, you know – they’re finished, then I can’t very well tell them to wash their hands and then not wash mine. And while I totally understand the need to set the example, if that’s the only reason I’m doing it, then I only wash when someone’s watching. That’s better than not washing at all, but that’s a bit like reading the Bible only because people are watching to see if you’re reading the Bible.
I still remember the first time I started out of a restroom without washing my hands. As I pushed on the door, I remembered all the times I’d told my children to wash, and thought of all the hands that I’d be shaking the rest of the day. That realization alone made me return to the sink and read the cartoon poster as I walked through the steps.
The next time you’re heading out the door to face the day, ask yourself if you’ve washed. Are you prepared for the people that you will encounter during the day? Will you have something good to leave with them, or simply a life full of germs that could have easily been scrubbed away with just a little time alone washing?
Go ahead. You’re not the only one headed back to the sink. I’ll move over and give you room to wash beside me.
