Stage Props
- Susie Wong
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
"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. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness,” Matthew 23: 27-28, NIV.
As I walked our church this morning, I came across a prop the children’s ministry is planning to use for an upcoming Christmas scene. It was painted on one side only. Why paint the backside if no one is going to see it? This prop will only be used in the background. There is no need to waste labor and resources that could be spent elsewhere.
As I passed it I was reminded of Jesus’ rebukes to the Pharisees, “You whitewashed tombs.” You look good from the outside, but your insides are a mess. I thought, I don’t want to be a stage prop Christian. I want to have Jesus be seen on every side of me.
Maybe my backside isn’t the best angle, and maybe I should stand up against a wall to hide it. Whether I stand or walk I desire wholeness and holiness versus pretending and hiding.
If the world should ever notice me, let them see Jesus. Let them witness Jesus on my good days and my not so good days. On my painted side, which is cleaned up ready to be seen, and the side that the Holy Spirit is still working on.
Jesus will take us, His partially constructed children, and paint our whole being with His glory. He does this in order for us to be useful from all angles: the stage point of view, and out in the lobby and on the street as well.
We should be willing to be seen as Jesus sees us—flawed with beautiful potential. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving Creator God, to be useful, lovable and faithful.
May we strive to live up to Jesus’ standard and hope for us.
May we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
May we love others with true earnestness.
Father,
We again come to You and praise You for who You are—our Creator. Thank You that when You saw our world as bleak and broken, You didn’t give up and walk away. You actually walked into our self-made mess and cleaned it up for us. We owe You not only with heartfelt thanks, but our allegiance as well.
You who are our Creator, Savior, Helper, Counselor and Lover of our souls we thank You. You are the great I Am.
Help us to stop playing the “pretender game,” being satisfied with only a stage prop paint job. Help us to begin living out our faith with deep gratitude.
We desire to be Your child and seen as such from every angle.
You are worthy.
Amen.
In a world filled with lies and pretense, it's also easy to follow suit and strive to 'look good on the outside' but still be 'unclean' within. A great reminder to let God's Light reveal what's less than honest or accurate so we can be clean, holy, Light-bearers with nothing hindering His character and Life from being radiated and revealed to a world that desperately needs to know and experience the Truth. I too want to be one who is the 'real deal'.
Having been to many of my sisters performances in High School I never knew that props were painted on only one side. I don't want to be a prop Christian. Thank you for this reminder.
Wm