Be Ye Clean That Bear The Vessels Of The Lord

“Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” (Isaiah 52:11). Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician in the 1800s who noticed that the incidence of puerperal fever - which was often fatal - among new mothers was three times higher in the doctors’ ward than it was in the midwives ward. Semmelweis noticed that in the doctors’ ward, students and teachers would often leave the cadaver they were dissecting to go and deliver a baby, all without washing their hands. When he tried to impose a strict hand-washing protocol, he was actually run out of town, because the doctors didn’t want to admit that they could possibly be the ones spreading the disease. The doctors were all doing their best to save lives, but because they did not have clean hands, they were actually spreading sickness and death. If we are striving to be true disciples of Christ, then we must follow His example. We must strive to help and bless and save the lives of as many of our brothers and our sisters as we can. But as much as we ought to, like the Good Samaritan, rush to the side of our wounded brothers and sisters and pour in oil and wine and bind up their wounds and mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, we may end up doing more harm than good if we have not first made sure that we ourselves are clean before we attempt to bear the vessels of the Lord. It does no good if we are serving others while our hearts are covered with the germs of resentment and judgment and disdain. It does no good paying tithes and fast offerings if we are carrying the infection of greed and covetousness. When we give or serve with a grudging heart, we are like the doctors who tried to save lives while carrying infectious diseases. The Lord does not expect us to become completely perfect in this life, but He does ask us that we do our best to clean our hands and our hearts and our minds before we attempt to bear His vessels, His precious children. If we are struggling to serve with a pure heart and clean hands, we can pray for the cleansing, sanctifying presence of the Holy Ghost, Who will ensure that our attempts to save our brothers and sisters don’t cause more harm than good.