Continued: Physical Cleanness Recommends Us
If cleanness and orderliness in our place of worship can be a source of praise to the God we worship, certainly manifesting these qualities in our personal life is equally important. However, in the privacy of our home, we may feel that we have the right to let go and act as we wish. And as far as dress and grooming are concerned, surely we have the freedom to choose what we feel is comfortable and appealing! Yet, to a large degree, all of this is only relative. Recall that in discussing one's choices to eat certain foods, Paul cautioned his fellow Christians: "Keep watching that this authority of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to those who are weak." Then he stated a valuable principle: " All these things build up." (1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:23) How does Paul's counsel apply to us in the matter of cleanness?

It is reasonable that people should expect a minister of God to be clean and orderly in his way of life. We should, therefore, be certain that the appearance of our home and its surroundings does not detract from what we profess to be, namely, ministers of God's Word. What kind of witness, or testimony, does our home give about us andour beliefs? Does it show that we genuinely long to live a clean and orderly new world of righteousness, which we so strongly recommend to others? (2Peter 3:13) Likewise, our personal appearance - whether during leisure time or in the ministry - can either enhance or diminish the appeal of the message we preach. For example, note this comment by a newspaper reporter in Mexico: "Truly, young people are a large part of the members of Jehovah's Witnesses, and what stand out are their haircuts, cleanliness, and proper dress." What a joy to have such young people in our midst!

Of course, making sure that our person, our belongings, and our home are always clean and orderly is easier said than done. What is needed is, not complicated and expensive equipment or gadgets, but good planning and consistent effort. Time must be set aside for cleani