Under the Wallpaper
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as
children of light." Ephesians 5:8
The only telltale sign anything was wrong with the wallpaper in the
bathroom, was that it was curling up at the bottom corner. It looked
pretty good, but underneath, we discovered black mold. The yucky stuff
had to have been growing there a long time in order to get that bad. We
finally determined that it had come from a hairline crack in the wall- a
small water leak that had gone undetected until the paper was in this
state.
Underneath the wallpaper, the damage was so extensive that even some of
the plaster was chunking off. The diagnosis was bad; the cure, worse: we
had to take all the paper off, sand the wall, replaster, sand some more,
and paint. Amazing how it could look so good on the outside and be so
disintegrated and deteriorated on the inside.
That is true of us, too. There have been times in my life when I looked
pretty good on the outside, but what was going on under the exterior was
far different.
Sometimes things have to grow and fester for a long time. Eventually,
when they get bad enough, things begin to change on the outside. Little
habits, a little unforgiveness held onto, or a little dishonesty here or
there. Small things build and grow, when they're not cleared up and
being resolved.
Often this can lead to attitude, people, or business problems, to say
nothing of what isn't happening in the relationship with our Father God
who desperately desires intimacy with us.
I have been examining the wall paper in other spots. I'm also checking
the paper in another room of the house. I was reminded, through all of
this, that it would be a good idea to check under the "wallpaper" of my
skin, to look into my heart and see if there are any little moldy things
growing there. Better to take care of problems early on before the
repair is major.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for Your faithfulness, that You are always
faithful, even in times that I am not. Today Lord, please bring to light
and expose anything in my life that needs attention; anything that is
not of You. In Jesus' name, amen.
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