Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Plastic Surgeon Kind of Life...

Luke 11:21-28 21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. 23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” 27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

I read this scripture tonight with my boys. Kind of one of those times when scripture just jumps out at you and catches you. I would say convicting (and maybe it is that too), but it was more of a "this is really deep but simple" kind of feeling.


I mean take the first section: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. "

A lot of times we walk around like we have it all together. We build our friendships by telling them the good stuff (to make us appear "good"). We live our lives in such a way to always look "good".

We hide the bad stuff, we put up a front,
we live these plastic surgeon lives that from the outside look great. But it's what is on the inside that really matters.
Some place, some day in the future, that outside shell you have built to protect you will fail.

You heard it said, "it is what's on the inside that counts or matters". It is. Nothing more, nothing less.
If Christ is for you, it doesn't matter what is against you. You win! because He already fought the battle.

So my challenge would be,
quit being fake.

Get some accountability and get right with God. This life didn't promise you happiness (nor do we deserve it) but there is One that promised us that (happiness) in the next one.
So live with the Eternal perspective now.

Choose life, eternal life, now.


Tear down the walls.

Seek forgiveness.

Give forgiveness.

Love.

Be loved.

Be bold.

Be different.

Have bite.

Be salt.

Be different.

Mirror Christ.


Reflect the Son!


Peace

B

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So this is what you were doing instead of calling me back. Just kidding. I am glad to see you posting this kind of stuff. I feel convicted by a call to authenticity because most days there is no immediacy in my need for Christ. It feels as if I can live my life some days without Christ and without authenticity. The call to live that way is the call to identify your true needs and acknowledge your true state. Thanks B