How much time do we spend dressing up our outward appearance while ignoring the inside? Trying to polish up and disguise the contents…a little make-up here, some dye there, a few new outfits, shiny shoes, maybe an accessory or two. Meanwhile the inside is filled with a little bit of envy, a hint of bitterness, a dab of unforgiveness, a taste of lust, a dust of selfishness, a few dashes of wicked thoughts, and drowning in secrets.

“…First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” –Jesus (Matthew 23:26)

I’ve had times that the outside of my cup may have looked nicely put together, but if someone were to get close enough they might not only see the cracks – but get a whiff of the foul aroma coming from the inside. While we might be able to fool ourselves, God knows exactly what’s in each of our cups. It’s only a matter of time before what’s inside will show up on the outside.

When you look in the mirror today ask yourself, “What’s in my cup?”. Maybe it’s guilt, pain, abuse, lies, deceit, bitterness, envy, lust, unforgiveness, doubt, greed….or maybe your cup is empty. Whatever it is…are you willing to let your cup be cleansed with grace?

Empty your cup! Go to the Father for a wash and refill. He’s waiting for you…