Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure…(Philippians 4:8).

Ivory soap bugs me.

Oh, the soap itself is fine–smells nice and lathers well.

It’s the advertising.

They say that the stuff is 99.44 percent pure.

You can’t say that.  “Pure” is an absolute.  You can’t have partly pure.

You can’t even have mostly pure.

It’s either pure

or it isn’t.

Paul tells us to think about what is pure.   

Good luck with that.

I mean it.  Well, not the luck part.  Instead, I wish you grace as you plow through the sociocesspool that we call Monday.  Keep your eyes fixed on Christ and your thoughts centered on glory, and try not to slip in the muck.

And if, by chance, you do slip, the One who calls you Beloved will clean you up–and he’s got something much better than Ivory soap.

Although I do like Ivory soap.  Please don’t sue me, Proctor and Gamble. I’m a poor and simple man.

Happy Monday, Beloved.