Everyday on the way to take my granddaughter to school I pass a certain house on the way. It is a beautiful farmhouse. The fields are tilled with no debris and the lawns are always mowed. The house is white with large pillars gracing the front porch. Everyday when driving by this house I can see through into the house. I can only see lights so I don't really know what the inside of the house looks like. I can only imagine that it is just as immaculate as the outside is.
I know that there are many times when a driver might look at our house and see the lights shining from within and think that the inside is clean. I know, in my house, that many times the outside looks so much better than the inside. On certain days if a person were to come to my door and I invited them in they might be really be surprised to see the mess. The outside does not always tell the truth. If I know in advance that someone is coming to my house, than I clean, mop, sweep whatever I need to do to make my house presentable.
This morning when I drove by that lovely farmhouse I wondered if they might have the same problem with the inside of their house as I do with mine. I also wondered if people might look at me and wonder what is on the inside? Do they look at me and think oh she has it all together or can they see the chaos that might be floating through my insides? If I know in advance that I am going to see someone I can look like I am clean. Are my insides full of debris and need to be tilled? Can they see the debris of uncertainty, anger and pride?
I do have a sweeper that will sweep away my debris. He will clean as often as needed. I can look immaculate but if the inside is dirty it will eventually shine through. I often have to ask the sweeper to sweep away the dirt in my soul. My sweeper is Jesus and He cares more about the inside than what the outside looks like. What about you?
Do you need swept out?
1 John 1:7-9
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
