Nancy Hughes: Inside and Out

 

“In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

Matthew 23:28 (NIV)

My grandmother always told me that “things are not always as they appear.” I don’t think I truly understood that saying until this weekend.

I was visiting my daughter and son-in-law for a few days along with some other family members. My grandson decided to take a long, leisurely shower in the newly decorated guest bathroom. The walls were painted teal with accents of dune white and black. Fluffy tan towels were draped through silver rings. Beautiful room, beautiful tub, and shower. All beautiful on the outside.

What my grandson did not realize was that there had been some drain issues with the shower in that bathroom and his uncle had taken the pipe apart to repair it but had not yet reconnected the new pipe. So the water from the long, leisurely shower was gushing straight into the basement, soaking toys, boxes, tables, chairs, lamps – in other words, everything in sight.

Because everything appeared fine in the bathroom, no one knew what was going on in the basement until hours later when we went down to the family room to watch television. There was no way to tell that what appeared to be a beautiful bathroom on the outside was masking a horrible watery mess inside the basement.

I am like that guest bathroom: clean and spotless on the outside, decorated with smiles and Christian comments. But inside? Hurtful thoughts, a judgmental attitude, and an unforgiving heart that no one sees. No one but Jesus.

Oh my. Matthew 23:28 goes deep into my heart. I am guilty of acting as if I am an example of the perfect Christian woman. But at the same time, I know what is in my heart and it’s not perfect OR Christian.

Can you identify? Jesus calls out the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Their outward appearance seemed to be honest and sincere but He knew that inwardly they were hypocrites.

He is also calling on you and me to get rid of anything we are hiding in our hearts that does not honor and glorify Him and reflect His love. Dig in His Word. Kneel before Him. Simply ask and He will help you match . . . inside and out.

Father, please look at my heart and convict me of any thoughts or attitudes that do not glorify you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Have you ever “put on a front” so that people around you would think that your Christian walk was exactly as it should be?

Did your inside match your outside spiritually?

Apply

In prayer ask the Lord to reveal to you anything in your walk with Him that is keeping you from outwardly and inwardly honoring Him in a worthy manner.

Offer those behaviors and attitudes up to Jesus and ask Him to replace them with truth from His Word.

Power

Matthew 23:28 (NIV) “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

Proverbs 26:26 (NIV) “His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.”

I Samuel 16:7 (NIV) “. . . The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)