Hiding Behind the Masks
On a street, here in our town, there is a house with a car port. It is in a neighborhood that is on a main road near our church and the neighborhood has been there for a long time. The houses are older and some of them look pretty well kept, while others could use a little TLC. This one could use a little TLC.
Every time I pass this particular house I can't help but notice that there is a bamboo looking, roll up shade that is hanging in front of this carport. Behind the shade is a carport full of junk. Lawnmowers, boxes, tools, and who knows what all is just piled up there in the carport. It is spilling over the sides of the carport into the yard and hanging out underneath the shade. It is just a big pile of junk!
The funny thing is that whoever lives there knows full well that the carport is full of junk that no one wants to look at. Why else would they have the shade? They are putting up some sort of attempt to mask the mess that lies within their yard. And you let the wind blow just a little... well, that little shade flies out and you can see it all!!
The other funny thing is that I wonder who they think they are fooling?
Christians are just like that house with the pile of junk, ya know? SO many times we go through really hard times, and we will go to church and pretend that every little thing is just rosy! But you let one person cross us, say something wrong or hurt our feelings in the least and here comes the junk... just spilling over into our yard for everyone to see!!
Thing is... if that person (with the house) would go through the junk pile, little by little, and deal with the mess they would have an entire room outside to park a car or sit and enjoy the night sky and feel much more together. Hiding the junk behind the shade does nothing but emphasize the fact that there's a pile of junk there!
It's the same with us! The masks that we wear at church or in front of others does nothing but emphasize the fact that we have not really allowed Jesus to deal with all of our junk!! If we would allow Jesus access to every part of our house... every closet, every drawer, every nook and cranny... and if we would allow Him to take every piece of junk and deal with it little by little... imagine how free we would be!
There would be room for love and joy. We would be more patient and have the capacity to be kind. We would be more gentle with our loved ones and have peace that passes all understanding. We would be able to get our minds off of ourselves and do good to those around us. We would be able to control our actions and our mouths easier because our minds would be free from... well, the Junk!
I don't know about you, but I hate clutter. I have more of it than I would like to admit. And what I really hate is when my mind and heart are so full of junk that I can't be who God has called me to be.
Lord help us to come out from behind the masks and live as You call us to! Help me to give You all of me. Help me to trust You with all of my junk, Lord. You already know about all of it so who am I fooling?? Certainly not You! Thank you that You know me and my junk and for loving me all the same!! I love You Lord!
Every time I pass this particular house I can't help but notice that there is a bamboo looking, roll up shade that is hanging in front of this carport. Behind the shade is a carport full of junk. Lawnmowers, boxes, tools, and who knows what all is just piled up there in the carport. It is spilling over the sides of the carport into the yard and hanging out underneath the shade. It is just a big pile of junk!
The funny thing is that whoever lives there knows full well that the carport is full of junk that no one wants to look at. Why else would they have the shade? They are putting up some sort of attempt to mask the mess that lies within their yard. And you let the wind blow just a little... well, that little shade flies out and you can see it all!!
The other funny thing is that I wonder who they think they are fooling?
Christians are just like that house with the pile of junk, ya know? SO many times we go through really hard times, and we will go to church and pretend that every little thing is just rosy! But you let one person cross us, say something wrong or hurt our feelings in the least and here comes the junk... just spilling over into our yard for everyone to see!!
Thing is... if that person (with the house) would go through the junk pile, little by little, and deal with the mess they would have an entire room outside to park a car or sit and enjoy the night sky and feel much more together. Hiding the junk behind the shade does nothing but emphasize the fact that there's a pile of junk there!
It's the same with us! The masks that we wear at church or in front of others does nothing but emphasize the fact that we have not really allowed Jesus to deal with all of our junk!! If we would allow Jesus access to every part of our house... every closet, every drawer, every nook and cranny... and if we would allow Him to take every piece of junk and deal with it little by little... imagine how free we would be!
There would be room for love and joy. We would be more patient and have the capacity to be kind. We would be more gentle with our loved ones and have peace that passes all understanding. We would be able to get our minds off of ourselves and do good to those around us. We would be able to control our actions and our mouths easier because our minds would be free from... well, the Junk!
I don't know about you, but I hate clutter. I have more of it than I would like to admit. And what I really hate is when my mind and heart are so full of junk that I can't be who God has called me to be.
Lord help us to come out from behind the masks and live as You call us to! Help me to give You all of me. Help me to trust You with all of my junk, Lord. You already know about all of it so who am I fooling?? Certainly not You! Thank you that You know me and my junk and for loving me all the same!! I love You Lord!
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