A few years ago, while I was working for Mr. Warren Tase in the Drafting department, I came in to my office one morning and noticed how rough my shoes looked.  Being an ex-Army guy, I still wanted my shoes shined and my gig-line straight.  So, opening my drawer I took out my ever ready shoe sponge and began to shine my shoes.

When I was nearly finished and my shoes were shining brightly, to my surprise in walked our CEO, Mr. David Armstrong.  Yup!  I was caught polishing my shoes. 

"Wow!  You are my type of man.  Well done!"  said Mr. Armstrong as he sat down to visit for a while.

I have often thought about that day and wondered to myself, "How will I look when Jesus calls me home?" 

No one knows when the end of their days will be for sure.  We tend to think we will live forever, especially if you are a younger person.  I know I always thought life was mine for the living, regardless of the direction I was taking.  I praise God for a godly father and brother who never gave up on me and kept praying for me.

Jesus says something in Luke 18:8 that I think of often.  He said, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

My faith has grown over the years.  Faith grows when one is continually washed in the Words of God.  We have all been guilty of living a life apart from a Holy, Holy, Holy God.  We should be growing as we are walking this journey of faith, leaving behind anything that cools our affection towards God.

I would much rather be caught polishing my shoes than to be caught living on the border line between this world's system and the kingdom of God.  I know where I have been.  I know where I want to be in God's kingdom.  It requires changing from one point of reference to another point of reference.

In 1 Corinthians 6:11, the apostle Paul, in writing to the Corinthian believers, said "And such were some of you.  But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

Washed?  Sanctified?  Justified?  From what?

Please read the entirety of 1 Corinthians chapter 6 for a list of who we once were, but no longer are.  No longer, that is, if we are truly being transformed by the renewing or our minds.  Truly transformed by the life and Words of Jesus the Christ.