The Peril Of "Covering Up"
Misty Ann Weaver made a tragic decision. The Houston-area licensed vocational nurse is charged in the burning death of three people after she started a fire in her six-story office building. She started the fire because she was behind on an audit for her plastic surgeon boss, and she feared being fired. She hoped the fire would buy more time. Obviously, her actions had unintended consequences.
Ms. Weaver is an extreme example of the tendency to try and avoid consequences by resorting to sin to “cover up” a shortcoming or failure. While few of us will wind up facing three felony murder counts, we are all tempted to “cover up” in this way. When we fail to study for a test, we may resort to cheating to “cover up” that fact. When we have a low self-image, we may resort to gossip or backbiting to “cover up” perceived flaws about ourselves. When we are afraid of negative consequences for not meeting some responsibility or expectation, we may turn to lying to “cover up” that inadequacy. The irony is seen in that the “cover up” inevitably puts us in greater spiritual trouble than before we engaged in it.
We may “cover up” for fear of the disapproval of others, out of embarrassment or shame, or out of concern for certain repercussions. Yet, to turn to sin to shield ourselves from the ramifications of our actions is to compound the problem. Let us have the courage to face God and man, to provide things honest in the sight of all men (cf. Romans 12:17).
Israel was warned about the danger of adding sin to sin (Isaiah 30:1). It is strength of character to do our best in our every endeavor, but it is also strength of character, when we have failed to so do, to courageously, honestly “face the music.”
"Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, "Who sees us, and who will know?" (Isaiah 29:15).
Are You Ready For Company?
What do you do to get ready for someone to visit your home? Do you clean the house from top to bottom? Maybe even buy new towels and linens or pay someone to shampoo the carpet? What about that unfinished remodeling project? Would that finally get done? We haven’t even talked about what food you’re going to serve or what needs to be done in the yard!
APPLICATION
Most of us would feel like we needed to do something to get ready for an important person to visit our home. What if that person was Jesus Christ? What would you need to do to get ready if He were to return today?
If we have an urgency about getting our house ready for company, shouldn't we have an even greater sense of urgency about being prepared for Christ’s return?
"So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:44).
"But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief" (1 Thessalonians 5:4).
Eating Daily
Me and my wife's favorite food in the world is any Chinese buffet that we can belly up to, or any other buffet for that matter ... Golden corral, Pizza Hut. We love buffets!
Wouldn't it be great if you could go to a buffet and eat enough to last you all week? Would that not just be wonderful? You could go in and pay the price of the buffet, just pile it on that plate and be done with eating for a whole week!
But we know it doesn't work that way. No matter how much you eat off of that buffet, the next day you're going to be hungry and you need to eat again.
Yet isn't this how we approach our need for spiritual sustenance? We feed our soul one day and then starve it for six, as though what happens on Sunday is enough to last us all week.
"This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever" (John 6:58).
"And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts" (Acts 2:46, ESV).