ONLY THE PART THAT WILL BE SEEN

"Maybe I'll just worry about the front. That's the only part that will be seen."

I was frantically trying to get ready for a family photo shoot yesterday morning. I was tackling my nightmarishly curly and frizzy hair with my flat iron when I glanced up at the clock--It was almost time to go. So I thought maybe I would leave the back unfinished, since only the front of my hair would be the "seen" part.

I do that a lot, unfortunately. I get concerned with what's to be seen. I want things to look good and appear pleasant. Maybe you do it, too.

Maybe you don't want others to know how deeply you're hurting. Maybe you're scared others will know how sin has gotten a grip on your life. Or maybe it's that desperate need to appear to have it all together.

Jesus recognized this tendency in us and called it out in Matthew 23:23-39. "You spend your time shining up the outside of your cup while it is filthy inside," He said, exposing their motives. "First clean what is unseen, then what is seen will be clean."

I could flash my prettiest smile with a matted mess of hair on the back of my head. I could hide a secret that is allowing the enemy to gain an ever-tightening grip on my heart. I could grin and bear it while suffering in silence.

Or I could first take care of what is unseen. For then what is seen will be clean.