“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27,28. (NKJV).
“Do you have to take out all the stuff, Grandfather?”
“This closet'll be like new, Timmy. Hand me the crowbar.”
“But I like the shelves in the back—where I put my special stuff.”
“We’ll put in sturdy ones that don’t sag.” Grandfather's nose scrunched.
“Something's rotten. Timmy? What’s on the bottom shelf?”
Timmy rolled his lips. “Um. I kept the glittery golden egg from the Easter egg hunt. Put it on a nest and sprayed it to preserve it.”
“You may have put it on the back shelf but the smell fills the room. Hand me that garbage bag.”
"Hard to believe something that pretty can smell so bad, Grandfather.” He dipped his head. "Sorry."
“Like the rest of us, son, you were deceived. Because something's beautiful on the outside, doesn’t make it good. I’ll join you downstairs when I get this contained.”
Later, sitting on the back steps, Timmy said. “That was a dumb thing to do, huh?”
“I’ve done some dumb things myself.” Grandfather chuckled. “Just don’t talk about them. But it doesn’t hurt to share a few things now and then.”
“Really?”
“When we confess our faults, others find it easier to identify. Especially when it’s something they’ve done.
“You’re not the first to hide eggs. Your aunt hid her entire Easter basket under her bed. She wanted to hatch colored chicks.” Grandfather chuckled.
“What happened?” Timmy tilted his head.
“Wooee, what a smell! Had to clean up the mess.” Timmy giggled. "Remember glittery and golden on the outside is no guarantee it’s good on the inside.”
“What happened?” Timmy tilted his head.
“Wooee, what a smell! Had to clean up the mess.” Timmy giggled. "Remember glittery and golden on the outside is no guarantee it’s good on the inside.”
“I’m not the first to mess up, huh?”
“And not the last, to be sure. That’s why we keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus. He told us a lot of folks would look good on the outside but what really counts is—“
“Putting the Lord Jesus first? That’s hard, Grandfather.”
“It is but you know what? He’s in the process of changing us, one step at the time, as we walk with Him.”
“Best news ever, isn’t it?”
“The absolute best.” He hugged his grandson.
Kingdom Thinking. Dumb things? Easy to do. The good news? I have a Savior, the Lord Jesus, who knows me, loves me and promises never to leave me. He is the One who indwells me, cleanses me—from the inside out when I confess my rottenness. He offers the same to you. Won’t you come to Him?
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