It’s That Time Again: Termite Inspection Due
Summer is in full swing here in Southeast Texas. Everywhere I look in my neighborhood people are mowing their yards, and in general, getting the outside of their home beautiful, despite temperatures soaring in the 90’s.
Recently, as my husband and I were working in our yards, a neighbor invited us in to “sit a spell” and cool off with a glass of ice tea. Forgive me for gossiping, but it serves the purpose for which I am writing this blog, and besides, I won’t name names. (Sounds sort of like we do in prayer requests for others, doesn’t it?)
You see, the inside of their house was a complete mess, as in worn-out carpet, walls that had not been painted in years, and would you believe, they pointed to a place in the wall where termites had invaded! Upon their entry, the termites had eaten holes in valuable paintings that were hanging on the wall.
I was shocked because you see, their lawn was neatly manicured, hedges trimmed to perfection, and a spectacular flower garden catches the eye of all who passes by. Oh yes, the outside of their home looks like a page right out of Better Homes and Garden Magazine. And yet, the inside of their house could not even pass the annual termite inspection.
I am sure you have guessed by now where I am going with this article, so I won’t beat around the bush any longer and ask the question:
Spiritually speaking, is your inside fashion attire as beautiful as your outside fashion attire?
Like most women, I certainly want to “look good” when I present myself to the outside world. But, I gotta tell you, this neighbor’s yards and the inside of his house sent me on a little inspection from within.
I didn’t like what I saw. In fact, my spiritual attire inside had gotten down right sloppy, all the while I had put up a persona on the outside that could have easily graced the covers of Vogue.
The Bible has a specific word for this - HYPOCRISY - looking good on the outside, but inwardly, portraying something entirely different.
The scriptures warn against this in numerous places. One that particularly caught my eye as I did a little soul searching was in Matthew 23:27 [MSG] “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down, it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds”.
Ouch! That’s not a picture of me, or is it?
I have come to realize in my walk with the Lord over the years that things can creep in so subtly that can literally rip holes in the most valuable part of our body – “our inward being.” As a result, God's plans and purposes for us fall by the wayside.
What about you? Do you need to do a little “inward termite inspection?
How about we team up together to extinguish “pests" in our hearts that rob us from being the woman God created us to be, both inside and out, in order to fulfill our purpose?
