Lent Day 5 - From the Inside Out

‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.’ Matthew 23:27

There’s no way to varnish this: Matthew 23 is uncomfortable reading. This is not the meek and mild Jesus pictured on your Christmas card; this is Jesus having a full-on rant to the Pharisees about their hypocrisy. They loved being honoured and looking good on the outside, but Jesus was having none of their playing to the audience. He knew that beneath the surface they were rotten. It didn’t look or smell like righteousness to him. It is quite possible, in these instaglamorous days, to look like we are one thing, but to be quite another. We are able to pass ourselves off as successful, happy in our relationships, and devoted to Jesus and his teaching, sharing happy family pictures and a verse each day online. We can even turn up to church and pray with gusto. But that whitewashed façade is not always the entire truth and it doesn’t mean we always do what Jesus asks of us. Now, before we all drown in guilt, none of us is perfectly authentic. We don’t open up our entire soul to everyone and live in total transparency. But are we real anywhere? We do need to be honest with God and those closest to us. And what people see should represent who we are and the values we stand for. It was Dolly Parton who said, ‘It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.’ Although there are parts of Dolly that are undoubtedly fake (ahem!), she is as real about herself and her faith as you could possibly imagine. The challenge for us is to take Jesus’ warning seriously, and to be who we say we are. We are not called to play a part or to merely sparkle, we are called to be authentic and to follow Jesus wholeheartedly

As uncomfortable as it might be, consider whether you are ever guilty of some ‘pharisaic’ behaviour. Where are you doing Christianity but not really following Jesus? How authentic is your social media or impression-management? Do you find it easy to be real with others about your life? What would Jesus say to you today?

Taken from Digging for Diamonds Devotional by Cathy Madavan.

n this 40-day devotional based on the bestselling book Digging for Diamonds, Cathy Madavan encourages us to discover more of the life-transforming treasures of our identity, strength, character and purpose that God has already placed within us.

Each day includes a Bible reading, a devotional thought, questions for reflection and a prayer.

Spend 40 days digging for diamonds and find the treasure hidden in the messiness of life.

Lord, forgive me where I have given an impression that was not true. I don’t want to act like a follower of yours, I want to be somebody who follows you every day. Empower me to live humbly, authentically and wholeheartedly for you. Amen.