A Dirty Exterior
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”
(Matthew 23: 25, 26 KJV)
When I moved into my trailer seven years ago, the trailer needed painting. It used to bother me a lot until one day God spoke to my heart and told me not to concentrate on the outside of my trailer, concentrate on the condition of your heart. I was not living for Jesus when I moved here. I was wrapped up in myself and I was having the biggest self pity party anyone has ever had.
My heart was filled with hatred, anger and hurt and I didn’t trust anybody.
How sad that we allow ourselves to get in such a condition. Yes, I have had some terrible things happen to me in my life, but there are countless others who have had worse things happen to them. If anyone has a right to have a self pity party, it is Jesus. He was abused, ridiculed, rejected and crucified for us. Today, He is still being rejected by many people. Yes, He has every right to have a self pity party, but He doesn’t because He is Love.
We need to follow our Saviour’s example and love one another as He has commanded us to love them. We may see people who are dirty and have ragged and filthy clothes and even stink, but we need to remember that they have a heart that needs to be reached for Jesus. We can wear the most expensive clothes and the most expensive perfume, but if our hearts are not right with Jesus then we stink in our attitudes, words and actions. Let’s allow Jesus to clean our hearts so that we can love others.
Joanne Lowe
September 25, 2006
joannelowe8@cox.net
http://joannelowe.blogspot.com/
http://www.heavenwardbound.com/