“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27)

high rise buildings near body of water during daytime — Photo by Aveedibya Dey on Unsplash

The heart of Pharisaism is masking inward death with outward beauty. And that tendency exists in us all.

“How are you today?”

“I’m good. And you?”

“Good.”

Really? I’ve never met a person doing “good” in Christ who was content with such a weak reply.

And isn’t it often the case that we are not truly “fine,” “good,” or “well”?

“But if I tell people how I’m really doing, it may reflect poorly on Jesus.”

Really? Is He the Savior of the strong or the weak, the sick or the poor, the put-together or the falling-apart?

“C’mon, Pastor, are you trying to turn all my conversations into therapy? I can’t open to everyone who asks!”

True. But if you’re open to the Lord, then surely you can open to some who ask.

How many doors for effective ministry open only with the key of honesty!

“I feel like a failure in the eyes of God today.”

“I’m troubled by the fear of death today.”

“I’m soaring in the grace of Christ today!”

“I don’t really know how I’m doing today.”

“Really? Me too. I thought I was the only one.”

When we moat our internal lives with outward okay-ness and raise the drawbridge of honesty, we sentence ourselves to the slow death of isolation. But honesty before the Lord and others shatters isolation and creates the opportunity for friendship. Immanuel family, we have the best reasons for being honest today. Our weaknesses are a better backdrop than our accomplishments for exalting the grace of our Lord. Let’s stay honest with Him and with one another. And let’s invite others to do the same.

The Daily Pulse of Immanuel

The Drawbridge Of Honesty