Casting Stones at Dirty Windows

I often pass by a storefront or other business that have not had their windows cleaned for a very long time. It's not a pretty sight. Windows have a way of collecting dust, mud, fingerprints, bird poop, grease smudges, water spots, posters and their accompanying tape residue. (I won't even mention some of the other more disgusting things I've seen on the surface of a window!) I've seen some that have been neglected for so long that you can't see through them any more. I mean, that's the point of having a window isn't it? If you don't want to see through it just make it into a wall. Don't they realize that windows need regular cleaning?

As a window cleaner, it's amazing what some people will put up with because they either don't want to spend the money to have their windows cleaned or they don't want to spend their own energy and time in cleaning them. They become complacent with the way things are rather than change them. When I look at dirty windows that have been neglected for a long period of time, my righteous indignation starts to rise and quickly turns into judgment regarding the owner of the aforementioned windows. That little voice inside my head starts saying things like, "If their windows are this dirty I can only imagine what the rest of the place looks like." Before long I've relegated the the offender to a lower rung on the social strata and thanked God in heaven that I'm not a "sinner" like them.

Then in the midst of my self-righteous pronouncements I get a little twinge of guilt. Hold on a minute. I guess I'm really not much different myself. The truth is I must confess to complacency in far too many areas of my own life. Not in every area mind you, but in far too many for me to be handing out reprimands to others for their own neglectfulness. Sigh. God have mercy on me, a sinner.

When Brush Comes to Scrub

The main tools of a window cleaner are his or her scrubber and squeegee. Both t-shaped instruments allow you to soap down the window and then "dry" it by channeling the soapy water off the glass. The scrubber is actually a wash cloth of sorts that soaks up the soapy water and transfers it to the window. The squeegee is a rubber blade apparatus that drys the window by channeling the water down the pane. The art of window cleaning is in mastering the squeegee. It takes practice to quickly dry the window in one smooth motion (especially on a very hot day). This treatment works just fine 95% of the time.

There are times, however, when after cleaning the window you notice there are some stubborn spots or debris on the window. Fingerprints on the inside of the windows of a restaurant are usually the most stubborn because there's usually sticky food residue such as pancake syrup or grease. A second treatment with the scrubber usually takes care of it but sometimes the spots require the use of a razor blade or 0000 gauge steel wool. Quadruple "0" gauge is super fine and won't scratch or permanently mark the window. It's the only gauge of steel wool that you can use. The steel wool is a marvel tool because it quickly removes the stubborn spots without harming the glass.

As I pursue personal growth, I find that a good book, a motivational lecture or a training conference act as the super fine steel wool to remove the stubborn spots without damaging the window of my spirit. I'm grateful for those who are willing to share their wisdom gained through their own growth journey and help my "window" to shine a little brighter. Like the steel wool, their words can be a little abrasive to my current situation but all the while helping to make me better in the long run.
Benjamin Disraeli once said, "The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own." To all who would do me good by revealing to me the riches of my life, scrub away!

Part 2

Ok, so it's time to wrap this up. (Thanks Mott for taking time to comment. Your insights are always right on.)

One of my favorite Biblical stories is the one about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. (See John 11) As the narrative goes, Lazarus has been dead for a few days by the time Jesus reaches his tomb. The first thing that Jesus does is cry. He has empathy for those who are in deep sorrow. Next, He calls Lazarus to come out and lo and behold he does. In those days the body was prepared for burial by wrapping it up in spice laden fabric so as to reduce the odor and help mitigate the decaying process for as long as possible. So in my mind's eye, when Jesus calls Lazarus to come out of the tomb, I see him hopping out wrapped up like a mummy. It's kind of a comical scene when you think about it. I imagine him "waking up" and going "What the...?"

I love what Jesus said next. It doesn't seem like a big deal at first glance but I think it's huge on a relational scale. He tells the people there to take off his grave clothes and let him go. Lazarus was back from the dead but still bound up in stinky grave clothes. The miraculous power of God needed the relational help of the community to make him fully alive and free.

The dirty spots on the window glass of my life sometimes acts as grave clothes that bind me up. Like I said before, some of the dirt is self-inflicted and some from other sources. It could be as small as a rotten attitude or critical spirit and as big as a severe wound delivered through abuse. Doesn't matter. What does matter is my belief in a power greater than myself to bring me out of my dark tomb and a community of friends who will help me shed the vestiges of death through their honest, faithful friendship.

Dirt: The Window Cleaner's Friend

One of these days they may invent a window that never needs cleaning. Until they do, however, window cleaners will always be around. There are times when I'm cleaning a window and someone will invariably say something like "You know, it's just going to get dirty again." And I just look at them, smile and say, "I'm counting on it."

Dirt on the glass is one thing I can always count on. It doesn't matter how clean I get the window, the next time I return it will be dirty. How dirty depends on how long it's been between cleanings. Dirt is a fact of life for windows. It comes from everywhere: rain, vehicles, birds, wind, people...all contribute their share. Sometimes it's very visible and sometimes you can only detect it in the right light.

So how does this relate to life? You know the saying, "s***t happens"? I think we are like windows in that we run into a lot of "dirt" in the course of everyday life. We pick it up from a variety of places. Relationships are a prime source. We have a fight with a friend or spouse. We say hurtful things that have a way of sticking on others. You get the idea.

Because we all pick up dirt, self-inflicted and otherwise, we need a regular visit from a "window cleaner." What kind of window cleaner? Thanks for asking. Before sharing my particular thoughts I'd like to hear yours. Any thoughts?

All God's Children Got Spots

I am a window cleaner. I didn't start out to be one but that's where my journey has lead me thus far. I never thought I'd be a window cleaner but I've learned that it doesn't really matter what you do, it matters who you become. But that's for another post.

My blog is called "Spots on the Glass" and my idea in starting this adventure is to engage in conversation about life through the metaphor of a window. Every window has spots, be they dirt or imperfections in the glass itself. Before I started my window cleaning business I never paid that much attention to windows. Now I see windows in a totally different way. I notice if they're clean or dirty; whether they have scratches, fingerprints, calcium deposits or even cracks and holes.

People are a lot like windows. Like windows, they come in all shapes and sizes. Also like windows, some are very clear and easy to see through. We say a person like that is very transparent. You never have to guess about intentions, motives or hidden agendas. Other windows are opaque or tinted and difficult or impossible to see through. We tend to be wary and suspicious of people who are like that. And still other windows are somewhere in between. Hopefully you get the idea.

The one thing that all windows and all people have in common is that they all have spots or imperfections. Some spots on a window are easily removed with a wet scrubber and squeegee. Others require scrubbing or chemicals and some are permanent in the glass and no amount of "cleaning" will ever remove them.

I invite you to join the conversation about spots on the window, either your own or just what you've observed. How do you try to clean your spots? What have you noticed about others that they may have not noticed themselves? As a window cleaner, I've cleaned windows for businesses whose windows have not been cleaned for a long time and invariably the owner is amazed (and delighted) at how clean the windows have become when I'm finished. He or she had gotten so used to dirty windows that they no longer see the dirt but accept the view through their windows as normal or clean. What things have we come to accept as normal and no longer see as dirty until someone comes along to "clean our window"?

One more thing. No judgments here. This is not a blog for pointing out what's wrong with everyone else. We all have spots. Let's celebrate our common journey and enlighten each other along the way.