Whitewash Won’t Hold Up a Fence

Whitewash won’t hold up a fence.  Woodrow Kroll

I bet you wonder where I get topics for my devotionals.  I first start with thinking about God and what He might want me to learn and then I use the “One Thing Leads to Another Devotional Research Method or OTLADRM.  The great thing about the internet is you can click on one topic and there will be a link in the middle of that topic that will lead you to another. 

So I was on the internet and found the quote “whitewash won’t hold up a fence.”  I found the definition of whitewashing is a metaphor meaning to gloss over or cover up vices, crimes, or scandals through biased presentation of data.  Another related word called sockpuppeting is an internet slang term that refers to an agent abandoning their tarnished identity and recreating a new blank one. 

What did I learn from all this extensive OTLADRM research?  If I took these definitions and applied it to people and what the Bible says, several things came to mind.  People have become adept at whitewashing and sockpuppeting.  We gloss over and cover up the sin inside us.  We want people to see us for what we are not.  Deception has become a normal form of behavior in society because we don't want others to see our tarnished side. 

We don’t want others to see us for what we really are, so we cover up our badness.  We create a whole new persona that doesn’t resemble who we really are.  We lie when the truth would sound better; we try to keep up with the neighbors and our friends in the cars we drive and the houses we live in when in reality our hearts and souls are bankrupt. 

When we learn that what the world thinks doesn’t matter we stop hiding.  We are literally free to be who God created us to be and it opens the door for Him to do great work through us. Deception leads to more “D’s”.  Danger, disappointment, dissatisfaction and it destroys whatever we touch in life.  God knows who we really are, so when we give up trying to hide our true selves, God will do amazing work in us and through us.  

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I could have a Masters degree in deception.  The majority of my early life was spent trying to be something I was not.  You knew all along who I really was, but I spent a good deal of time creating a lie that showed others a poor image of what a Christian is and should be.  Thank you for having patience with me and drawing me back to You.  I am forever grateful for Your mercy on me.      

Scripture:  Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.  And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:6-10