Thoughts

I am naturally curious.  I always want to know more.  What is around the corner, why something happened the way it did, that sort of thing.  It shouldn't be a surprise that I'm this way.  I have heard often enough that my mother used to try to get me to quit asking questions, while my grandfather told her to answer them -- how else was I going to learn?

One evening not long ago and friend and I left Bible study, and he asked if I was in a hurry to get home or if I could just hang out for a while.  I drove because she doesn't like driving at night (neither do I!).  She pointed and asked if we could find out what was down that road?  Being naturally curious, I said sure!  It was dark and the way was lit only by a few street lights and the headlights of my car.  But we drove down the winding, rising and falling road, looking around, surprised we didn't know what was in this area of town.  I admired a small lake we crossed over, and the lights of homes shining in the lake.  I really enjoyed the architecture of the homes.  When my friend asked if we could explore one of the side roads, I happily complied.

All of our exploring got me to thinking.  I had never been down that road before so I knew nothing of what was there.  And when I took the road, I could only see what was along it's edges, not what was hidden from view.  Only when we drove deeper, down side roads, could I see what was off that first road.  And isn't that just like people?  What you see on the surface is not the whole truth.  Sometimes you get an accurate picture of what is buried inside, and sometimes you don't.  What would happen if we were to dig deeper into the lives of others?  What would we find?  And almost more importantly, what would someone find if they were to dig past the top layers of me?  Would it be pleasing to God?  I'm afraid that a lot of times it wouldn't be pleasing to Him. 

I don't want to be as Christ accused the teachers and pious leaders of His day: 

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean."  Matthew 23:27, New International Version (NIV)

But instead like this: 

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16, New International Version (NIV)

How about you?

Reese