They Weren’t Dressed Yet

One of the things we do in the apartment business is periodically inspect the apartments we manage. We want to ensure that needed maintenance is performed, that folks are practicing good housekeeping, and that there are no health and safety issues. Sometimes these inspections are done by government entities and mortgage companies to ensure compliance with loan provisions and governmental regulations. Recently I participated in a HUD inspection at a property.

Whenever inspections occur we send notices out to the residents advising them of the dates and times of the inspections; this was the case in the just-completed HUD inspection. The residents had many days to prepare for the HUD inspector.

Around 11:00 AM we knocked on an apartment door to announce the HUD inspector to the resident and to tell the resident that we needed entrance to his apartment to perform the inspection. The reply on the other side of the door was, “I’m not dressed yet.” This would not be the last time we heard, “I’m not dressed yet,” from the other side of a door during that day’s inspection.

All of the people in this apartment community were given notice of the inspection, many were ready, many were not. Of those not ready, some were “not dressed yet.”

There is a day when we will stand before God for an inspection, but it will be more than an inspection, it will be a judgement. Some Christians have gotten the idea that they have a free pass on God’s judgement of their lives, but Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad,” (2 Corinthians 5:10; see also 1 Corinthians 3:10 – 15).

Jesus speaks to us about being ready for His coming; whether His coming is to us as individuals, as His church, or as people on this planet, we ought to always live in His presence, live as expecting His knock on our door (See Matthew 22:1ff; 24:42ff; 25:1ff).

When Jesus knocks those who are prepared for Him will not be ashamed to open the door, for they will be clothed in His righteousness, trusting in Him and Him alone for wholeness, for forgiveness, for salvation (See Romans 1:16-17; Chapters 3 and 4; Philippians 3:9 in context).

Are we ready for His knock today?