5 Second Rule

Growing up, if a piece of food dropped on the ground you'd hear "5-second rule" and see a child pick up the piece of food and pop it in their mouth.  Sometimes dusting off some dirt before it was actually eaten. 

I was letting the puppies out and I heard the talk show host interviewing someone.  The conversation seemed to be about over-protection of children from germs.  The 5-second rule should be more like a 10 or 15 second rule.  Instead, parents are picking the food off the ground and throwing it away.  They are washing the floors, counters and walls with heavy anti-bacterial cleansers.  The children's hands are also being washed in anti-bacterial cleansers.

Our bodies need bacteria in order to function properly.  Bacteria is part of our natural digestive system. 

I can't help but wonder if over doing the physical cleanliness has something to do with the human attempt to cover up and clean up the sins of the world?  It seems that minute by minute and hour by hour sins are increasing.  People are walking away from Biblical principles because they are deemed politically incorrect.  But when the Bible gives a direct command and shows an action or behavior as a sin, then it is just that a sin.  There are many Biblical sins that are being fought for as human rights.  For years abortion has been just that and there are other human laws that make sin "legal". 

Are we spending such an excessive amount of time physically making our houses perfectly clean, our hair perfectly colored and cut, our make-up perfect, our clothing the most stylish all because we are trying hard to cover our perfect sins?  The only cleaning that needs to be done is that of repentance.  Acknowledging and turning our back on those sins.  In doing that we must deal with ourselves first and remember to hate the sin and love the sinner.