! real

“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him. David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!’ This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.’ “II Samuel 12:4-7

It was either in high school or college that I memorized a portion of a poem by the famous Scotsman, Bobbie Burns. It was the last stanza of his poem; “To A Louse”. This humorous poem was composed upon seeing a louse on a ladies bonnet at church.

Here is the portion I still recall: “O wad some power the Giftie gie us to see oursels as ithers see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us an foolish notion: What airs in dress an gait wad lea’es us, an ev’n devotion!”

Here is my attempt at a loose translation: “Oh that I would have the power that God gives us, to see ourselves as others see us. It would from many a blunder free us and a foolish notion. What snooty airs in dress or strutting would leave us and bring us to true devotion.” (Very loosely paraphrased)

How do people in the world see you? 

Do they see you as one who is true and authentic, or one who lacks integrity and dependability?

I have shared in the past about a young man who was referred to me while I was a Juvenile Probation Officer in Idaho. This young man had been arrested and convicted before I was hired by the county. The judge sentenced him to a long term in the State Juvenile Correction Center.

One day I received a letter from the Superintendent of the Correction Center. He related how totally incorrigible this young man was. He said that he was such a disruptive force that he was being returned to the community. It was his suggestion that I notify the police to keep a watch on him and if he committed another offense, to try him as an adult.

I was stunned by the candid nature of the letter. I had just finished reading it when this young man knocked on my door. He wore a smile and acted enthused about me setting up a schedule for his supervision. Not knowing what to do, I asked him if he had any idea what people thought of him?

He said that he thought they probably had a good opinion of him. I passed the letter from the Superintendent across the desk for him to read. The smile disappeared from his face and a look of shock appeared. It was very obvious that it was a shock to him. (By the way–it was a turning point and he never re-offended).

So what things do we cover up in our life? 

What secrets do we “sweep under the carpet” rather than cleaning them up with the help of the Lord? It is only as we confess our sins that Jesus is able to give us His forgiveness and cleanse us through and through. We may be able to fool ourselves, but He knows the truth.

-cecil thompson