Greasy Hands

Before I leave my house for the day, I pray. I grab the bottle of oil that I have sitting on my counter, rub my hands together, & start talking to Jesus about various aspects of my life. I use oil for a variety of reasons: 1) I’m churchy; you know it’s real when you pull out the oil 2) (more importantly) it’s a reminder that as I go through this day, I should always have what I call ‘greasy hands’. What are greasy hands? Glad you asked you ridiculously intelligent human being! Let’s chat about it for a bit…

​     So, when learning about wills, I learned about what’s called the ritualistic function of wills. The idea behind the ritualistic function is that if the testator (the person who’s property will be divided after they die) has to get the will written out, sign it, have witnesses sign it, etc., they’ll understand that this is serious. If they have to go through all of these processes, they’ll understand the severity and long lasting impact of their choices. That’s what greasy hands are for me. It’s a natural routine that I use to demonstrate a spiritual concept. 

     God first introduced the concept of greasy hands to me quite some time ago (let’s say a year to be safe). It started as something pretty basic reminder that I’ve been anointed to do something. It was a visual reminder that everything that I put my hands to leaves an imprint (or reflection) of God. Intentionally (or unintentionally), everything that I touch leaves a mark behind on somebody that can impact the way that they see Christ. So when I cover my hands in oil in the morning, it’s a reminder that my name isn’t the only thing at stake with what I do today. See, what I do outside (and inside) of my apartment can and will leave a lasting impact. It’s a reminder that the ultimate goal is to leave an imprint of Jesus in all that I do. What I do could make somebody say, “she’s a Christian?” and want to be closer to God…or run further away from Him. That power…is in my hands. That power is in your hands…and it’s about time that we take it seriously. 

     Have you ever had any type of grease or oil on your hands? You can’t really miss it. Oil makes my hands…shiny. I rub it in every morning…and my hands glisten and glow, regardless of how hard I try to hide it. Therefore, I have to be more cautious about what I touch. More importantly, I can’t touch everything. See, I’ve learned that certain things…hold on to oil more than others. For example, when I touch my door handle, it’ll be greasy for a while, but it’ll eventually fade with light, heat, etc. However, if I touch a wall, I’ll stain it. It’ll leave a permanent residue or mark on that wall….just like my actions can leave a permanent mark on somebody for Christ, you know? As it is in the ‘natural’, it is in the spiritual. So, my ‘greasy hands’ in the morning remind me that I can’t touch everything. I can’t do everything. I can’t walk or join myself with everybody, because I can’t let them compromise the imprint I’m supposed to leave at my law school, my job, my church, etc. The imprint that we leave on people’s lives can outlast our own lives, so we've got to be careful with what we put our hands to.

     I believe that God has called all of us for something. Therefore, He’s already given us greasy hands. He’s already anointed us for whatever He needs us to do. It’s not a question of if you have greasy hands; it’s what you’re doing with them. Are we leaving imprints of Christ in everything that we do? Do people feel Him before they feel us? Do they feel His love or your attitude? Do they feel His grace or your judgment? Do they see His anointing or your selfish desires? Do they hear His voice through you? Or do people wonder why you don’t reflect the God you talk about on social media? What people see, feel, and hear from you leaves an imprint. It leaves an everlasting impression, and I’ve learned that the ultimate end of that impression should always lead to Christ. We were saved by grace to bring others into it, but we can’t do that without hands covered in His oil. We also can’t do it if we’re not cognizant that what we do and say represents God in some way. 

     So as you go through this day, week, month, year…or lifetime, never forget that you have greasy hands. Never forget that all that you do will reflect God in some way. This isn’t meant to add some frightening pressure on you, but to remind you that your life isn’t just….your life. I’m here on your choose to leave an imprint of God’s love in those tough moments. When people are getting on your nerves, and are 7 different types of wrong, will you reflect His grace? When what you want is the complete opposite of what He tells you to do, can you push beyond your weakness & reflect His strength? When we look at our hands, we should see the oil that covers them. It’s not just ‘your hand’; it’s His oil that surrounds your flesh in more ways than one. After all “what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV). That’s all He’s asking for: your greasy hands….

Background music: I’m Yours - Casey J & Have Your Way - Daniel Johnson

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