Al Capp, an American cartoonist and humorist best known for the satirical comic strip Li’l Abner, once said: “Abstract art is a product of the untalented sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered.” The scribes and Pharisees could have been described the same way. Jesus described them as beautiful on the outside, but on the inside they were nothing more than rotting, decaying bones. They painted a good picture of “righteousness” for everyone to see, but their hearts were full of pride and sin.
In 1 Samuel 16:7, God tells Samuel, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” We can get all dressed up on Sunday, say all the “right” words, go through the motions, raise our hands…but if our heart is not right, we are still out of fellowship with God and that makes us as much of a hypocrite as the scribes and Pharisees. We can fool other people, but we can’t fool God.
What is the condition of your heart today? Are you like a whitewashed tomb, keeping up appearances or does God see your heart as righteous, cleansed by the blood of Jesus?
God, Love and Marshmallow Wars: This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) Also available on Amazon and Barnes & Nobel.
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