Matthew 23: 26  You blind Pharisee!  First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees and telling His disciples to make sure they were not behaving like the Sadducees and Pharisees.  They were to listen to their teaching but not follow their behavior.  The Pharisees were so concerned about what they “appeared” to be that they didn’t have time to focus on the important things like godly attitudes – their hearts were black as coal with sin and their outward appearance was above reproach.

If we could see inside each other what would we see?  What does your heart look like?  In this day and age there is so much emphasis on outward looks that we as women can always feel as though we aren’t enough if we base it on the women in magazines and on tv.  Although it is very important for us to take care of our outward appearance and we should care how we walk talk and dress, most of that will take care of itself if our hearts are right with God.  As the Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7 “man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart.”  If our hearts are what they should be the beauty of God will shine through and we will walk, talk and dress as we should.  If our hearts are not right with God we will always struggle to be who we should be.  Our behaviors and words speak loudly about our walk with God.

Allow God to clean your heart today.  Psalm 51:10 should be our prayer every morning:  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  There’s nothing like the face of a person who is totally sold out to God and living for Him!  True beauty comes from within, all the makeup and beautiful clothes in the world cannot cover up a wicked heart.  Allow God to mold you into the beauty He created you to be.  We all have areas we can allow Him to work on to make us more like Him!  Let’s start today!

Quote:  “I can’t sit back and fold my hands and think about the past, for there are thousands of yesterdays but only one today and …. maybe a tomorrow.”  Red Skelton