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A sieve or strainer is used, for example, to remove tea leaves from tea, or to separate the coarser particles from the size we want. Jesus used it in an exaggerated manner to illustrate how religious people were so careful as to strain out gnats from their drink while they were swallowing whole camels at the same time (Mt.23:24)! This meant that they were committing major crimes in their heart while they were supposedly very strict and legalistic when it came to adhering to external forms, rituals, ceremonies, etc. Isn't this common among us Christians too? For example, can't we be very careful to see that our doctrines are correct, while we are committing murder or adultery in our heart?

There is another way we can look at the use of sieves, as the mental standard we set for ourselves concerning what is sin or not. For example, we think that to be violent with others is wrong and we would not do that. But then the Holy Spirit shows us that even if we are not physically violent, we can be very violent with our tongue! It is not easy to tame our tongue, but with much prayer and the help of the Spirit we learn over a period of time how to be careful with how and what we speak. But that is still not the end! Now we see that even though our speech is better and others think we have changed a lot, our thoughts and feelings have much wrong with them. We are still very much agitated with others and we cannot easily calm down when we think of what others have done to us. It takes time and a lot of progress before the Holy Spirit is able to teach us to calm down quickly after a provocation. But is that the end? Have we learned to love them and pray for their welfare (Mt.5:44)? What has been happening is that we are slowly learning to use sieves with smaller and smaller holes!

This can apply in other areas like lust, love of money, unforgiveness, etc. The danger is that because we are using some sieve it makes us think that all is fine, without realising that in the eyes of the Lord we are letting many things pass through which are unacceptable to Him. But as we walk with more sensitivity to the voice of the Spirit, He is able to tell us that we need a finer sieve.

This is the way of life. The path towards perfection is long and even our life on earth is not long enough to complete it. God justifies us by crediting the righteousness of Jesus to us (Ro.4:4,5), and His blood keeps cleansing our sins (1Jn.1:7). But it is only when we take up our cross daily with the intention of dying to our self and deny ourselves when we are tempted that we can make progress on this path (Lk.9:23). But we must remember that it is a path where God's light increases over us and we are continually set free from the darkness of our old life (Pr.4:18). We should neither get discouraged at the slow progress nor expect that we will get fully sanctified in one special experience. But we need to be honest before God and walk in the light that He gives us.

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