INNERMOST EXTERIORS

As a rule I feel that we are all houses with many chambers and many secrets. And depending on our mood or desires we will open a window and allow someone a glimpse into a given chamber or room we feel incline to share.

But there are and always will be those rooms we never want anyone to see. Especially the closets where we keep our most precious valuables, the secrets we can’t afford to let anyone see for fear of embarrassment it will ruin the image we work so hard to create.

With God he has a master key to all the rooms of our lives. This isn’t really a profound revelation, but at times I do wonder why with some people they seem to think they can lied to keep a given dark closet from being seen. Oh on a human level playing the deception game is probably not too surprising. And even in a house of worship where it shouldn’t be necessary there are always those who can’t avoid the need to only let part of their mental residence be visible.

What is interesting to me is when people approach you with a false sense of humility. They are more than happy to allow you to gaze deeply into what they act like is the innermost chambers of their lives. And in so doing they make it seem like they are so down to earth and honest about who they are that they treat such chambers as something that is more like an exterior and easy to see.

In spiritual circles it is sad how easy it is to learn how to say the right thing and act in the way, which gives the impression you are born again. Without being able to see into those innermost chambers that aren’t shown as exteriors we may not always know initially when someone is simply acting out their image and not having it come from the heart.

God knows the difference naturally. To bad too many people seem to presume the locks they keep on certain rooms apply to the lord.

We all will have some exterior to put on display. And trying to hide the clutter of sin and evil desires like they are play toys we don’t want somebody to see will not be the same as allowing the Lord to remove them or help us to truly appreciate the depth of our forgiveness.

The big question, if we are truly willing to ask it is what is the innermost exterior we try to put on display? Is it a room we decorate on Sunday for the benefit of those we see in church, but then the rest of the week either keep the curtains drawn or fill the room with the collections of our own selfish desires?

I can’t answer that question for anyone else. I know I’ve been guilty at times of allowing myself to get trapped into putting some innermost exterior on display because I thought it would impress. Along the way God’s spirit flipped a light switch and made me look into the exteriors as they really were. It was difficult to look at times, but I have to admit letting him redecorate was so much satisfying than trying to hide my toys I didn’t want to confess I owned.