During a recent move, a childhood memory surfaced of a time that our family relocated many years ago. With the disassembly of our kitchen table, pieces of green, hard liver fell from the hollow legs. Come to find out our little brother didn’t care for liver and had found a clever way through those horrific meals by secretly stuffing his liver pieces into the hollow table legs.
Today, as I think about the day my brother’s secret was revealed, and the shock on our parent’s faces, I can only laugh.
We all have secrets that have been stuffed somewhere.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus spares no punches as he addresses the teachers of the law and the Pharisees when he says, “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.” (Matthew 23:27)
Jesus goes on to say, “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (vs. 28)
I think about this scripture a lot; especially on Sunday morning as I walk through the doors of the church. I think about all those in my circle of influence who refuse to walk through the doors of a church because they are uncomfortable being in a room full of hollow legs and whitewashed tombs.
In acknowledging my own struggles with being real, instead of walking through church doors wearing my “I’ve-got-it-all-together” smile I am learning to enter church “just as I am.” Some days, I am not pretty. I am full of everything unclean.
Humbling. Uncomfortable. Frustrating.
Last week I had an honest encounter from a lady after church who had noticed that I was not looking like a happy, pretty Christian. It was as if she had discovered my hidden green pieces of liver that I had been hiding. Instead of judging me, she was free to reveal secrets hidden in the hollow legs of her own heart.
God is showing me that although we are made holy and righteous in Him because of Jesus Christ; we are called to be clothed in grace, mercy, love and humility-not full of self righteousness or hypocrisy. Whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean is not what the world is seeking; they are seeking the God of truth and hope.
As we pour out the unclean garbage stuffed within our hollow hearts; He replaces our garbage with His goodness.
Authentic hearts seeking after God’s heart welcome everyone with open arms into the family of God, and into the church—even a ragamuffin like me.
Stay the Course…
Sheila
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