It’s a southern tradition that I usually experienced in church. On rare occasions it also happened to me in the funeral home. In those places, in front of God and everybody else, my mother felt the need to give me a spit bath. Yes, you read it right: a spit bath.
Let me tell you, I was such a little tomboy. While I am an only child, I have to two uncles who are not that much older than me. Growing up, they were more like brothers. My neighbors and cousins were mainly boys. I didn’t play with other girls on a regular basis until I started kindergarten.
Being a tomboy, I didn’t like wearing dresses. Worse, I hated having to act “proper and lady-like” as my mother expected when we were out in the public. I tried. I really did, but I always seemed to get into things, especially if I was outside for any length of time. You see, part of my “proper and lady-like” behavior was staying clean. That’s not easy to do when you are in a dress and playing outside as God intended.
Upon returning to my mom’s side, she would inspect me and if she found anything on my skin, it drove her crazy. I could tell by the look on her face what was coming next: a spit bath. She would dig out a tissue from her purse and spit on it a few times. Then she proceeded to rub and scrub until the dirt, chocolate, or whatever it was came off of me.
Yes, it was nasty! Who wants somebody else’s spit on their face.
It was also embarrassing as other people watched. I would have rather had a spanking than have a spit bath. Of course, I fought her and of course she was determined to clean me up no matter how much cleaning she had to do.
Over the years, I have asked other people if their mothers gave them spit baths as well. A few had no idea what I was talking about. Some had also taken spit baths, but they were allowed to use their own spit. They said their moms held out the tissue and they spat on it. So, they got to use their own spit instead of their mom’s. Still gross, but not as bad. I don’t know why my mom didn’t do that.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
Sin is like the stuff I used to get on my face except no amount of scrubbing with any human spit will get rid of it. The only One who can is Jesus. Fortunately for us, He doesn’t have to spit on a tissue first to do it.
***Fun info!!
Did you know that Jesus used spit to heal?
“And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is Be opened.” Mark 7:33-34 (KJV)
“And he cometh to Bethdsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.” Mark 8: 22-23 (KJV)
*Special thank you to my friend Susan Bradley for remembering these spit verses.