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Some stains just won't come out

Ed, my old neighbour from Saskatchewan, has started the new year off on the wrong foot. “It’s not hard to get in trouble without trying,” Ed claimed over Skype.
Raymond Maher

Ed, my old neighbour from Saskatchewan, has started the new year off on the wrong foot. “It’s not hard to get in trouble without trying,” Ed claimed over Skype. “My intentions were innocent, but I left a few stains that made the wife unappreciative of my actions. I spilled a bit of wine on Ruby's best lace tablecloth. I thought she wouldn’t notice a few drops. When she saw it several hours later, she fussed on like I had dribbled half a bottle on the tablecloth. She was angry I didn’t tell her so she could get the tablecloth off the table to soak it right away before the stains set. My excuse for not telling her was that we had company and she was busy in the kitchen. I didn’t want to bother her when she had a carving knife in her hand,” was Ed’s version of the event.   

I guess I wasn't much help to Ed because I commented that the cowardly response, not to say anything, usually results in trouble. Ed was quick to tell me that to say something doesn’t work either. With the family home for the holidays, Ed took some of the men out to the farm where they could have a look at the engine Ed is rebuilding and give some advice on its progress. Ed had on new dress pants that Ruby had given him for Christmas. Ed got a little too close to the engine the men were discussing and got both some grease and oil on his new dress pants. When they got back to the house, he told Ruby right away, and that didn’t go over any better than the wine stains.

I could relate to Ed’s problem with spills and touching stuff that stains. They happen in a flash of an eye and they may not come clean. Stains stay there until the end, to tell everyone you are not spotless. My problem is with T-shirts. They are like magnets for spills and stains. I have tried every stain remover, but some stains remain to point out I am clumsy. I discovered good results with bleach on the stain but plain chlorine bleach will take color out and can leave a new stain, a bleach stain. There isn't much sense in trading one stain for another.

In the Bible, Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan River. As a man, Jesus was acknowledging that people are sinful and in need of cleaning. They need to acknowledge they are sinful and need their sins removed by God. John was baptizing people so they would repent and change their ways before the Messiah or Saviour would appear among them. John knew Jesus was the Saviour and John said to Jesus that he needed to be baptized by Jesus. Jesus told John to baptize him to fulfill all righteousness.

Jesus knew God had sent him to be the remover of the stain of sins from heaven. His body given and his blood shed would purify sinners of their sins. God was pleased with Jesus, his Son on Earth, whom he loved as his own stain remover of sins.