From the Archives: Originally posted on June 30, 2009
On my way in to the city this morning, I met a young lady.
Well... not exactly.
She was not near enough for me to speak to her, but her actions provoked such prolonged contemplation on my part that I would have sworn that I had actually met her.
I was on the inside looking out, while she was on the outside of the parked bus... staring at her reflection in the tinted window. We were on opposite sides of the same window, and I could see her, but she had no idea I was there. I rested my head against the back of the seat and watched as she checked herself, fixed the front of her blouse and fussed with her hair. Apparently satisfied with her efforts, she stepped off with a pep in her step.
I wanted to stop her, but I was now too far away. Everything in the back was a hot mess but... hey - if it does not cost a life, it cost nothing.
She will probably never know, on this side of the eternal world..... but she got me thinking about how we sometimes treat our Christian walk in a similar fashion. As long as everything looks good to the people we come face-to-face with (the ones whose opinions matter), it's all good, and the small number of people who may be perceptive enough to notice the 'mess at the back' are usually left behind at the drop of a hat, because - of course - they do not mean us well/they want to tear us down/they are overly critical and judgmental (pick one).
In the midst of our complaints, we even sometimes neglect to ask our Heavenly Father what HE thinks. Since He is not concerned with how we look on the outside but with the condition of our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7), we ought to be very concerned about His perspective.
Today, let us take some time to think.... Is there an unresolved 'mess at the back' that needs attention? Maybe a bit of hypocrisy still hanging around? A bit of class/racial prejudice? How about an unforgiving spirit? Whatever it is - big or small - our Heavenly Father wants to heal all that ails us and give us a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Here is His promise...
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14
I need to have that promise fulfilled in my life daily, don't you?
May God continually bless you
