Orderliness

By Mrs. Pasterski

Orderliness is something that we hear much about this time of the year!  Perhaps you have heard your mother talking about reorganizing something or getting the house in shape now that Christmas is over. January is a great time for fresh starts; and developing the character quality of orderliness would be a great goal for a young girl!

What is orderliness and why should we work hard to add it to our lives?  Orderliness is preparing myself and my surroundings so that I am able to do what God wants me to do efficiently.  For some girls, orderliness comes easily.  They like to get up and make their bed in the morning.  Their toys and books are stored with neatness and their appearance shows that they enjoy having everything “just so.”  But for others, orderliness is something that they have to work at.  Having your life in order is important whether is comes easily or not.  It’s so important that God specifically commanded the church in I Corinthians 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

We can see numerous other examples in the Bible of God’s desire for the Christian’s life to be orderly. Many times God gave specific, orderly instructions on how the tabernacle and temple were to be built, how the priests were to carry out their business, how the troops were to array themselves in battle, how the New Testament church was to function.  All of these examples remind us that orderliness is important to God!  When we are orderly, we can serve Him best!

So how can you display orderliness?  Here are a few questions to help you evaluate how orderly you are and maybe point out some areas that need improvement:

• What does your room look like right now?  Do you clean it up on a daily basis?  Are your things spread out all over the house, or do you clean them up each day?
• What about your personal hygiene?  Are you faithful to brush your teeth, comb your hair, bathe or shower regularly?
• How about the laundry?  Is it on the floor or in the hamper?  Do you help your mother neatly fold it when it’s clean?
• Do you have a Bible reading program?  Are you faithful to pray for those on your prayer list?
• What about your school work?  Is your handwriting neat and readable?  Are your books and papers and pencils stored neatly so you can find them when you need them?
• Do you work hard to get to church and school on time?   Are your shoes, coat, and Bible prepared so that you can be out the door in a timely manner?  Do you help your younger siblings get ready and buckled into their car seats?

There are many more ways that you can display orderliness, this list is just a starting point.   Ask your mother what areas in your life she thinks need a little more order.  Here are some Bible examples that you can study together:

Genesis 22:9

Psalm 5:3

Psalm 23:5

Perhaps you are doing well in this department…keep up the good work and keep your eyes open for more ways that you can become more neat and organized!  A little girl whose heart and surroundings are prepared to serve the Lord is becoming “all glorious within!”