The washing machine at the Gibsland house is one of those front-loading types. The dryer is also. The dryer is stacked on top of the washer. I can stand in the laundry room and watch the laundry wash and dry. Sometimes that is better than what is on television. I have entered the phase of watching old football games to get through to the NFL-pre-season in August. I am rapidly running out of football season. I have tried to watch the new spring pro football games, but they have not caught my football fancy completely.

I remember the old-fashioned load it from the top type washing machines. I owned one that had a clear lid so I could stand there and watch the laundry do its thing too. I was a newer model that was missing something, more on that soon. If you have never seen laundry in the machines, you might try it. It is hypnotic. You can play games timing how long it takes the sweater to move from the front to the back and return. I know that none of you kill time like that. There are apps for killing time!

What both washing machines were missing was that thingy in the middle of the washing drum.

That thingy is called the agitator.

The internet, keeper of all knowledge, reads:

“In top loading washing machines, the agitator is responsible for moving the clothes through the water and detergent and is driven by the output shaft of the transmission. The output shaft is normally splined, and the center of the plastic agitator will have a matching spline to ensure a tight fit.”

The new washers have an agitation feature, but it is done in different ways. The thingy in the middle is not there. You want your laundry agitated!

Read again the definition for agitator in washing machines. They move clothes through the process. They are necessary for the washing process.

I think I am going to follow God’s call to be an agitator. My goal is to move people through the process of knowing Christ. If someone knows Christ, I want to agitate in such a way they will know Him better. I will agitate for the church to be a better place. I will agitate myself so that my life and faith are in alignment.

The thing about agitators, they are moving the process toward a better outcome. They not only point out what is wrong, they offer solutions and suggestions to make improvements.

Sunday, I invite you to a gathering of agitators at your local church. They are agitating for change, to transform the world in the name of Jesus.