“Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.” Luke 11:39
Keeping Up Appearances
I finally got around to cleaning the outside of my old kitchen cabinets. I scrubbed all the grease and grime and food from around the handles and rubbed the wood with oil so they looked clean and new again. I did this mainly because I was getting embarrassed about how they looked to visitors—now they would think I was a decent housekeeper! (I can usually keep things looking pretty good on the outside.)
As I was finishing up and admiring how good they looked, I thought how I really should do the inside, too. After all, that’s where the food and dishes are kept and that did need to be cleaned as well. But I reasoned that nobody would see that part (the inside) until we have someone come and live here for a while, like a house-sitter while we’re on vacation. I could wait and do it then. Of course, this would have to include every drawer and closet in every room, as well. Maybe later.
The thought struck me that we can be like that much of the time when it comes to our walk and relationship with Jesus. If Jesus is invited and allowed to live and “make Himself at home in our hearts” in our hearts, then there’s no way we can hide the “dirt” from Him, and He has the right and freedom to open and inspect every nook and cranny. In fact, He puts more emphasis on the inside than on the outside (Luke 11:39). Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it springs the issues of life.”
I continue to battle this “outside/inside cleaning” issue. When I focus only on how I look to others in my physical appearance, I am a people pleaser. We know that “the fear of man brings a snare; but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).
I want to please God with my whole heart, the place where He lives and rules. When I allow Him to work on the inside, my outward appearance is changed and more of Him in me is evident to those who need to see and know Him.
Lord, thank You that you are always working on the inside to change us to look and be more like Jesus on the outside.
I’m right there with you. Thank you for sharing.
Perfectly expressed! All too easy of a trap for me too!
I need to apply this Spiritually.. Yes, I worry about what a visitor might see.. (although it IS a good goad to clean!) And I watch what the Lord is doing to/in me, but don’t give enough thought to being a participant!