The ManicaPost
Evangelist Peter Madondo—
One beautiful Sunday morning one of our church members expressed a compliment that “hey Man of God you are looking good”
| This made me to think about things we often do to make ourselves look good. I could not also help thinking about things we can and should do to look good spiritually. |
Jesus addresses this issue with the religious leaders of his day in Jerusalem in Matthew 23:23-27.
The religious leaders were a people who were so obsessed with following an intricate set of rules and laws.
They over emphasised the laws and went way beyond the one that God had given.
In reflection of the above quoted scripture it was not a secret that the Pharisees and Sadducees became so particular about outward appearance.
Physical and visible practices became their prerogative.
The billion dollar question remains, was their inner man complimentary to the exterior glow and presumed righteousness?
Today, many strive to make sure they look good in the sight of their peers and also to stamp authority that they are better than others in the social settings.
Let us be quick in reminding each other that God is not moved by an exquisite outfit or mesmerizing apparel.
Jesus was brutal when he likened the religious leaders to whitewashed graves.
Imagine the glittering and expensive tombstones we bump into whenever we visit graveyards.
Amazing as they may appear the same cannot be said of what lies inside them.
I was immensely challenged by the teaching of the Master and made a resolution to be sparkling clean from within.
I am relaying the same sentiments to those who would like to have a correct and orderly relationship with the almighty.
God’s values transcend cultures and religious traditions. God values a clean heart and respects such. Let me invite you to the context of 1 Samuel 16: 1 ff.
The men who were presented before Samuel to anoint were really good looking on their outward appearance, the likes of Eliab a man who was well build that any woman could possibly kill to have.
He was good looking in the sight of man and was befitting to become a King but God was not moved by his good looks.
God scrutinises the heart and thus we should strive to make our hearts and inner man acceptable before Yahweh.
It is the duty of every person who accepted the lordship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to work on spiritual life such that the beauty will ooze from within and be complimented even without.
Let every man in a time we ‘dress to kill’ as we try to attract compliments from our colleagues also ask if the same can be said of his inner man.
Let us not be entangled in a situation where all our efforts are aimed at fulfilling the desires of flesh. 1 John 2: 15 “Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. . .”
I urge you all to accept being foolish in the sight of the world and be a wise man before our maker.
Let us look good all the times, let us be presentable in whatever situation however if these dynamics are morphed into the spiritual sense the better.
