I heard a noise in the bedroom. It was small ‘clink.’ I ignored it for a second. I got up to see what it was and then almost immediately sat down. I realized it was the little vacuum robot. We got it for Christmas and it has been a delightful addition to our home. It apparently loves to clean the floors.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday it sets out at 10AM to scour our house looking for dirt and animal hair. It announces itself on my phone. I can check on it during the morning. The app on my phone shows a little map of its location, its battery usage, how full the filter bag is. After it finishes it returns to base and the recharging unit empties the canister automatically. Then it texts me that it is finished.
The noise must have been what I heard and I went back to what i was doing. Then my phone lit up. The robot was calling for help. It said, “Some object may be wrapped around the main brush.” About that time I heard it beeping in my bedroom. I found it under the bed. It was blinking a sad color of orange.
I retrieved it. The brush unit on the bottom was completely entangled with blue thread. I knew immediately that it was from the spool of thread that had been on my night stand. I looked around on the floor and found the empty, white cylinder. I had just moved it that morning and it had been a full. I don’t know how much thread is on a new spool, but it must be about 3 miles. The little robot was nearly complete tied in knots.
I took it into the other room. I felt like a surgeon removing a tumor. I cut and pulled and dissected. It was tightly knotted and resisted my efforts. Twenty minutes later I finally extracted the last thread. I placed him back where I found him and set him free. An hour later it reported in that it had finished.
Cleaning up is messy difficult work. Getting involved with people is messy difficult work. In the middle of helping people you are liable to get tied up in their hurts and pain. You might yourself get all tied up in knots. It will be stressful to care for other people, but it is the task God has given to us, to bear each other’s burdens. It’s our job, our calling, our privilege. Let’s go.