Matthew 23:27
"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."
My sophomore year of college, I was given the writing assignment to describe a person only by describing his/her environment. I came across the product of that assignment the other day, and I decided to re-post it here. The symbolism is clear. As Christians, may we never attempt to hide from God, but allow Him to refine us, transforming our fickle hearts and feeble minds until they purely reflect His infinite beauty!
The Great White Mansion on Royal Circle
The exquisite beauty of the majestic, antique mansion on Royal Circle was breathtaking. It rested upon a lush green field, blanketed with tiny purple and white flowers. The architecture of the solid white residence resembled Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, with rows of stately columns lining the front porch. Even the dog’s house in the back yard was a miniature replica of her master’s mansion, and a sign hung on the front door which read, “Fofo’s Abode.” The entire estate was a surreal portraiture of extravagance and luxury.
The inside of the mansion was even more immaculate than the outside. The same white pillars that supported the front porch lined the hallway inside the house. Crystal chandeliers graced the ceiling of the parlor. Pure etched gold candelabras stood in each corner of the room. The princely furniture, extensive silken draperies, and china tea sets intricately displayed throughout the room were marigold and robin’s egg blue. The library held the sculpted busts of John Paul Jones, Robert Fulton, and the mythological goddess, Diana. There were also historic portraits of past presidents that proudly hung on the walls. The marble floors were clean enough for a person to eat off of, yet no one would dare to even walk on them. From one room to the next, it was a sterile environment devoid of any of the monstrosities of life. It was perfection.
The most intriguing room was padlocked shut. It offered a more intimate view; a peephole into the soul. The steps behind the door led down to the basement. The basement was a studio of sorts. Paint was generously and randomly splattered on canvasses. The artist mixed blue, green, yellow, orange, red, purple, and brown to create a black, bubbled, murky mess. The room was cluttered with broken furniture duct taped together and paint smocks lined the floors. A simple cot was stuffed in the corner of the basement with the sheets and blanket sloppily strewn on top. A great white poster hung on the wall that simply read “genuine nature” in bold black letters. The scene was a stark contrast to the sheer elegance of the upstairs. What had happened to the impeccable tastes of the master craftsman that adorned the rest of the mansion? The outside was garnished with glories untold and the inside was exquisitely detailed, but the basement? The basement revealed the dark corners of the house, the “genuine nature” hidden away by the owner of the great white mansion on Royal Circle.
3 comments:
You are a gifted writer. This is one thing i'm "slowly" getting around to: allowing God to change each and every part of my being. It's a hard process and one that we humans are naturally resistant to. I'm just at the beginning of the process but hope to continue in it for the rest of time.
This is a good topic though. I can think of many verses that relate, either directly or tangentially: white-washed sepulchars; some will say Lord, Lord and he will say get away from me you doers of lawlessness; we will give account for every word and deed whether good or evil; good fruit comes from good trees, bad fruit from bad trees; man looks at the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart; You judge my inmost parts; you show me your faith without deeds and i will show you my faith with deeds; etc, etc and all paraphrased horribly =)
Sometimes i think it is the "next level" of Christianity but maybe that's only b/c i feel my process is taking longer than a "blinding light on the road to Damascus". Irregardless of whether it's "the next level" or not, it is a necessary evidential piece in any believer's life. If we are not taking steps to make sure that we aren't hiding "hideous rooms", we should be concerned.
ahhh, enough of that. I'm still thinking about my car problem. But thanks for the post.
I'm so grateful God does not give up on us in the process of santification! The more I mature in my relationship with Christ, the more growing I realize I have left to do! The verses you mention are so challenging in my daily walk.
I'm sorry to hear that your car is having problems. Were you able to get it fixed?
Yeah, i got it back last night but have to get one more thing done (tires) and then i hope to not see a auto mechanic for a LONG time =) Funny how car problems can throw you so far off.
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