Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
The details have become fuzzy with the passage of time, but what still stands out is how clearly this laundromat modeled what our Christian witness should be like. We were on a cross-country driving trip and for some reason felt the need to get change with a minimum expenditure of time. It was just then that the Lost Sock Laundry came into view, complete with easy access from the road we were on. A quick left turn and we were in the parking lot.
The name of the business provided the first principle of witnessing: make yourself easy to identify with, or, put another way, make sure you and those you’re trying to reach share common ground. There’s probably none of us out there who haven’t lost a sock while doing the wash and were thoroughly convinced the machine was carnivorous in nature.
What cemented the deal was the sign we saw as we entered the building. On a given Saturday they would provide the soap AND the quarters! — Because you might need a break. No cheap talk or moralizing, just a simple willingness to help. What could be more genuine! It almost made me wish we had some dirty laundry so we could support their enterprise.
This isn’t intended to be a plug for socialism or minimize the importance of personal responsibility. Instead, it’s meant to provide a practical illustration of what Paul had in mind when he wrote Galatians 6:2 which says: “Carry each other’s burdens and so live out the law of Christ.” (J.B. Phillips New Testament) If a laundromat can do it in the Big Sky Country, it seems we should be able to do it in our own way as well.