Transparency

I think when people looked at Jesus, they often didn't know what to make of Him. But I also think that the"mysteriousness" of Christ was due to His "God-ness."

I think when people looked to His human-ness, He was transparent. I think this is what it means to be pure in heart.

I, on the other hand, am not transparent. If you were to look in my heart, it would not be pure streams of living water that you'd see. Oh yes, the Spirit is there, and He is pure. But I've got all this other yucky stuff that keeps others from seeing only Christ's Spirit living in me.

Not only that, I then try to hide all this yucky stuff. I've got this huge parka clenched tightly around me so that no one can get a glimpse of what's really inside.

I was thinking about this during my morning walk today. I was marvelling over answered prayers, and thinking who I could share it with. But then I realized that I didn't even want to share the original prayer request because the weakness it shows in my life is embarrassing. So until I'm more comfortable without my parka, I'll just say, "Praise God for working on a mess like me."

The Psalmist cries out:

"Search me, O God, and kow my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See is there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)

I relate well with him. I too want my anxious thoughts transformed, painful as that may be. I also pray that God will create in me that pure heart that David craved.

God's been working me. He will continue to do so. He will change my heart according to His promises, and someday it will be more of Christ's likeness that people see in me. That is the Spirit's work and He's a powerful Agent.

But I'm the one who will have to shed this stifling parka.