INSPIRATIONAL: Washing Dishes Before the Dishwasher

by Linda Kirby / WGON

My late husband had a habit that always made me smile: he’d wash the dishes in hot, soapy water before placing them in the dishwasher. You might wonder—why go through all that trouble? I believe it was simple: he didn’t trust the dishwasher.

Isn’t that a bit like how we approach salvation? We tell ourselves we need to “clean up our act” before coming to Jesus. But that’s like taking a bath before stepping into the shower—redundant and unnecessary.

What we often miss is this: no amount of scrubbing can cleanse the soul. Only the blood of Jesus can do that. Salvation isn’t something we earn or achieve through effort—it’s a gift, freely given.

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”There are no hoops to jump through, no checklist to complete. Jesus did it all on the cross.

That’s the beauty of grace: we don’t have to work for salvation. If we had to earn it or pay for it, it wouldn’t be a gift at all. Romans 4:4 reminds us, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Jesus knew this from the beginning—before the earth was formed, even in the garden—He knew He would be the only way to save mankind.

He accepts us just as we are. We can’t clean ourselves up; He’s the only one who can. And the closer we draw to Him, the more we mirror Him. Just like a husband and wife grow to be of one mind through time together and a close relationship, our relationship with Jesus deepens the more time we spend with Him.

As 1 Corinthians 2:16 says, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

So if you’ve been trying to “pre-wash” your soul—scrubbing away guilt or shame before coming to Jesus—let this be your reminder: He’s already waiting, arms open, ready to do the cleansing Himself. Just come.

I think my late husband understood something deeper than he let on. Maybe his habit wasn’t just about dishes—it was about doing his part, even when he knew the real cleaning came later. And maybe that’s what faith looks like: showing up, trusting Jesus to finish what we can’t.

Let’s stop trying to earn what’s already been given. Let’s draw near to Jesus, trusting that His grace is enough—and that the closer we get, the more we’ll reflect His heart. That’s the real cleansing. That’s the miracle of salvation.