I thought it such a shame that she was obviously concerned about her appearance, yet she gave no thought to the decay, destruction and havoc she was wreaking on the inside of her body as she was filling her lungs with a substance that could kill her. The contrast was striking and sobering.And then it hit me how much like that I can be.
In the video clip I posted yesterday of Mark Lowry, he referred to these verses in Matthew 23:
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.Mark was right. Those are scary verses.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Oh, that my insides would be consistent with my outer person!
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
I've seen women like that and wonder the same thing. I appreciate your insights today. It gives me something to meditate on and allow the Lord to do in my own life. I'm so glad he sees the heart.
ReplyDeleteWe were just talking about that very thing at Bible Study on Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy. Don't we all want to look good, even when we're being bad.
ReplyDeletelove this post that follows the Mark Lowry one!!
ReplyDeleteamen! I really want my insides to outshine my outside!
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. I always think the same thing when I hear profanity come out of someone's mouth.
ReplyDeleteI've intensely been working on the insides for a few months now, I pray I can stay consistent through my upcoming "distraction."