When I was a teenager, I remember my mother making me clean up our home because she wanted the house clean. When I got into trouble, she would punish me by cleaning the house as well. I had to clean the baseboards of my room, rake the front and back yard, wash all the windows of the house, clean both bathrooms and so on.

I would be so upset with her for making me do all this work. I thought that she wasn't being fair. Because of all the work I had to do, I thought my mother didn't love me. I thought she was the meanest mom in the world. I still did the cleaning because I didn't want to get into more trouble or get a whipping. Yes, I did the work but I didn't go quietly, in fact, I went kicking and screaming.

Today, I thank my mother for making me clean the way she did, because it taught me a lot about my home. When I think back, we never did the normal spring cleaning like most people. We cleaned because our home needed to be cleaned. There was no label to what we had to do. Did I question my mom about the excessive cleaning? Yes! Did I question her about the necessary cleaning? No! The necessary cleaning needed to be done in our home because we didn't want to live in a dirty house. It's that simple, but what about the cleaning that God does in our lives? Do we welcome it with open arms or do we go kicking and screaming, crying out, "It's not fair God!" "Why me?" Well, it's that time of the year for me, it's spring cleaning, and I have been kicking and screaming.

This new year has been a challenge for me. For one, sickness attacked my body, but yet I stood in God's Word. Our computer had so many difficulties, that I wanted to throw it away, but I didn't, I stood in God's Word. Persecution came and hit our church and me personally. I have been talked about, lied on and yelled at, but in the mist of all the mess, I stood in God's Word. So now, I'm feeling good, life's OK and all of a sudden, one day, God told me to do some things that I had to question. I had to find out if that was God telling me to do this or my imagination. To be honest, I knew it wasn't my imagination but because of the severity of the matter, I had to ask questions.

When you walk into my home, one of the first things you see is a beautiful, large mahogany wood curio cabinet, filled with beautiful and exotic possessions from Germany, Japan, Korea and Hawaii. Everywhere we've been, I made a point to shop till I dropped. I have everything from Japanese Geisha dolls, precious jade stones to beautiful crystal and china tea sets from all over the world. I treasured all the wonderful gifts I collected. What did I say? I believe I said, "treasured." That was my problem, I treasured everything that I felt was a gift from God.

Everytime we had friend over, they always complimented me on my doll collection or my beautiful Japanese collection. I loved the compliments but did I love them more than God? No way! Or so I thought. One day, a friend told me that my Geisha dolls were prostitutes/entertainers, in the Japanese culture. She said she was going to find information on the subject and bring it to me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. "God can this be true? What do You want me to do about that? These dolls cost me over $300.00, surely You don't want me to throw them away? That would be a waste of money." I waited and struggled with this. Why? Because it was hitting me right in the face. In my heart, I knew that I needed to throw them out but I struggled because they were so close to my heart. I was waiting for the information from my friend, but in the meantime, I was being bombarded with thoughts. Actually, it was the Holy Spirit trying to show me my heart. I didn't receive Him. Two weeks later, God spoke to me so clearly, saying, "Don't wait on your friend's information, throw them out now!" I began to cry because I knew that it was God and not my own thoughts, and because I knew I had to get rid of my dolls. God told me to look at myself. I was crying over the commandment of the Most High God. I actually cried! I knew right then that I had a heart problem and I needed to allow God to minister to my heart. Was God cleaning house in me? Yes, He sure was and still is. I got rid of the dolls and I don't regret it.

I've been led to get rid of things in my home, that were considered gods in other countries. I actually had souvenirs like that. Some people like to collect things because of their beauty, but be careful of what you bring into your home. God directed me to get rid of a very large crystal ball that I bought in Japan. It is valued over $100.00. I did as God instructed because of what the ball represented to psychics and those who practice black magic. I had no problem getting rid of that. I think I had a harder time with the dolls because I loved them so much and I thought that it was innocent, harmless and nothing to worry about. Now when I hear the voice of the Lord telling me to clean up, I'm not hesitating to the call. Was this a necessary cleaning in my life? Yes, because my heart is not fixed on my possessions any longer but on things above. Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." I believe the main reason is in Exodus 20:3, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The dolls were too close to my heart. Now, I welcome the cleaning in my life, no more kicking and screaming for me. I want a clean house and a clean heart.

God's love is available to everyone. As Christians, it's our job to display that love, and to share the Word of God so that lives will be saved. Proverbs 11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." (NIV) It's wise to win souls for Jesus, and I believe one way of doing that is to show God's love to the unsaved. When they see us living the Word of God and displaying His love, they are drawn to God because His love never fails. (I Corinthians 13:8)

In this world, we seek after friends, fortune and fame but we should seek after the One who has given us life, the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. Jesus said, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10) Let's seek after those that need salvation more than we seek after our selfishness.

In this article, Keena Chew, a young college student, shares her feelings about God's love and witnessing. If we could just get the revelation that God loves everyone, saved and unsaved, it would help us to witness more and to not be ashamed. Let's be wise in our everyday walk with Jesus. Let's witness in the supermarkets, libraries, drug stores, on the phone with telemarketers or where ever we go. Remember, "He who wins souls is wise."
--Monica Ware