A God Who Gets His Hands Dirty

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28

We often imagine a holy God as distant—clean, perfect, and untouched by the messiness of human life. But that’s not the God we find in Scripture. From the garden of Eden to the ministry of Jesus, God doesn’t stay on the sidelines. He steps directly into the mess.

Exodus 21 is a prime example. God doesn’t wave a magic wand to erase the cultural systems of injustice overnight. Instead, He begins transforming them from the inside out. He introduces accountability into a world where power ruled unchecked. He inserts limits where there were none, mercy where there was only might, and protection where there had been exploitation.

This is God’s pattern throughout the Bible—and in our lives. He plants seeds of redemption in places we’d rather avoid. He works slowly, steadily, through systems, hearts, and histories. Why? Because God is not after surface-level change. He is after transformation that reaches the roots.

The cross is the ultimate proof. Jesus entered our broken system—one riddled with injustice, oppression, and violence. He didn’t avoid it. He absorbed it. And from that place of pain, He brought resurrection.

So, when you feel like your life is too messy, too broken, or too slow to change—remember: you serve a God who gets His hands dirty. He’s not waiting on the other side of your breakthrough. He’s already at work in the middle of your breakdown.

Reflection Question
Where in your life are you asking for instant change, but God may be inviting you to trust His slower, deeper transformation?

God doesn’t avoid the mess—He enters it. He doesn’t sanitize broken systems—He redeems them from within.

Prayer
Father, thank You for stepping into my brokenness rather than avoiding it. Teach me to trust Your timing and Your process. Help me to see the seeds of change You're planting, even when I can’t see the fruit yet. Amen.