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REFLECTION
Cleanliness next to Godliness? is the theme for our reflection. Cleanliness is the state or quality of being clean or being kept clean and godliness is devotion to God which results in a life that is pleasing to him. Cleanliness next to godliness means being physically clean and healthy as a sign of spiritual purity. The theme requires us to examine the question “cleanliness next to godliness? We shall examine the fact that the phrase cleanliness next to godliness is a moral obligation for believers to keep themselves clean as a result of their reverence and relationship with God. Nonetheless, contagious diseases which are not hygiene-related do not affect our godliness or relationship with God but require us to be isolated for the sake of public health and safety.

Beloved in the Lord, the regulations in Leviticus 13:1-45 are meant to preserve the public health and safety of the Israelites. Again It describes skin diseases or conditions that render a person ceremonially unclean thereby mandating the priest to examine a person suspected of developing a contagious skin defect or disease which requires him or her to be isolated from the human settlement until he or she is declared clean to be reintegrated into the society. “The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ² “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. ³ The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean…“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:1-3, 45-46) In other words, keeping a person with a contagious skin disease will defile the camp hence making himself and the entire population ceremonially unclean and unfit to make wholesome and acceptable offerings to God. It is important to note that although the priest may declare a person unclean, it does not mean the person has been rejected or abandoned by God. It is for this reason, “A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” ³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Matthew 8:2-4)

Jesus’ receptive and empathetic attitude towards the leper challenges our attitude or demeanour of stigmatization towards people suffering from clinical or medical conditions that render them unfit to stay in society. Cleanliness is next to godliness is a statement that concerns our individual and collective obligations as believers to ensure that our spirituality or piety reflects our state of personal hygiene and good sanitation. It does not extend to people who are sick and need our support, love and care to recover and be reintegrated into society.

Dear friend in Christ, we must also avert our minds to the fact that cleanliness is next to godliness could also mean living a morally clean life rather than merely maintaining good hygiene as a sign of godliness. How can godliness be complete if we keep our environment clean but our hearts are not clean? In God’s economy, a godly person who is declared ceremonially or physically unclean because of his or her medical condition is more pleasing and acceptable to God than an ungodly person who is medically fit or ceremonially clean. We are not spiritually clean except through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:13-14). In as much as we are expected to maintain good hygiene and be physically clean as a sign of our godliness, we must also work on our salvation and eternal life by allowing ourselves to be cleansed by the priceless blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as physical cleanliness is next to godliness, spiritual and moral Cleanliness is next to Chrislikeness. Above all, salvation is next to Christlikeness and this must be our ultimate goal, Shalom.

PRAYER
Holy Spirit, strengthen us to be loving, receptive and empathetic towards the sick and marginalised in our societies, and may we practice the cleanliness of the heart as a true demonstration of our godliness, even as we keep our bodies and our environment healthy through good hygienic practices. Amen.