Transformed from the Inside 从内心改变

[Dexu Xia]

You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.  Matthew 23:25

In the worst UK residential fire since World War II, fire engulfed the twenty-four story Grenfell Tower building in West London, claiming the lives of seventy people. Investigations revealed a primary reason the flames spread so quickly was the cladding used as part of renovation that covered the building’s exterior. The material was aluminum on the outside but had an extremely flammable plastic core.

How was such a dangerous material allowed to be sold and installed? The product’s sellers failed to disclose poor fire safety test results. And buyers, drawn by the material’s cheap price tag, failed to heed warning signs. The shiny cladding looked nice on the outside.

Some of Jesus’ harshest words were directed at religious teachers He accused of covering corruption behind a nice-looking exterior. He said they were like “whitewashed tombs”—“beautiful on the outside” but inside full of dead bones (Matthew 23:27). Instead of pursuing “justice, mercy and faithfulness” (v. 23), they were focused on looking good—cleaning “the outside of the cup” but not the “greed and self-indulgence” inside (v. 25).

It’s easier to focus on looking good than to bring our sin and brokenness honestly before God. But a nice-looking exterior doesn’t make a corrupt heart any less dangerous. God invites us to let Him transform all of us from the inside (1 John 1:9).  By:  Monica La Rose

When have you tried to disguise corruption? How can you prioritize internal change?

Gracious God, please help me not to hide my brokenness but let You transform all of me.

你们洗净杯盘的外面，里面却盛满了勒索和放荡。—马太福音23章25节

英国发生了自二战以来最严重的住宅火灾，伦敦西区24层楼高的格兰菲塔大楼被大火吞噬，夺走70多条人命。调查显示，火势迅速蔓延主要是大楼外墙翻新时所用的装饰板造成的，这些覆盖在建筑外部的装饰板外层是铝制的，但内层却是极其易燃的塑料芯。

为何如此危险的材料能获准销售和安装呢？那是因为产品销售方没有透露，这款材料的防火安全测试不佳，而买家则被低廉的价格所吸引，没注意到警告标示。从外表来看，这些闪亮的装饰板好看极了。

耶稣曾对文士和法利赛人发出一些非常严厉的评论，祂指责他们用漂亮的外表来掩盖内心的败坏。耶稣说，他们好像“粉饰的坟墓，外面好看，里面却装满了死人的骨头”（马太福音23章27节）。他们不追求“公义、怜悯、信实”（23节），只专注于光鲜亮丽的外表，不过是“洗净杯盘的外面，里面却盛满了勒索和放荡”（25节）。

向上帝坦承我们的罪和内心的败坏，并不容易；追求亮丽的外表，显然简单多了。但“金玉其外，败絮其中”只会造成危害。愿我们接受上帝的邀请，让祂使我们所有人从内心得到改变（约翰一书1章9节）。作者：  白茉妮

你何时曾试图掩盖内心的败坏？
你如何将内心的改变视为优先？

慈爱的上帝，请祢帮助我不要隐藏自己的败坏，求祢由内而外更新我。

一个具备成熟信心的人清楚知道，是上帝的“神能”和“应许”帮助我们活出荣耀祂的生活。