By Tim Bryant, Board Chair, The Inn of Last Resort
“Because, if I’m honest, I’ll admit that I care more about what you think about me than I do about what God knows about me! And that’s just messed up.”
Last month, I shared a story about a shed I built in my backyard. I only had enough paint to cover two sides, so, naturally, I painted the sides you can see and skipped the sides you can’t. I wrote about how God called me on that by pointing out my motives and impressing on me the thought in my first sentence above.
(If you haven’t read part I of this story, it might be helpful to start there.)
When writing that first story, I concluded that I needed to be willing to be exposed. I needed to be transparent and honest with others AND with myself. Those things are true, but after a comment from a friend of mine (thanks, Ed), it occurred to me that there was another level of thought I had completely missed.
When we hide areas of our lives from others, we think there is “no harm done.” What can it hurt? There are just certain areas we choose to keep covered. Besides, it’s nobody’s business but mine! But, when I looked closely at the sides of the shed that were left unfinished (no protective coat) I noticed something else: the trim is weathered and graying and there is a bit of mold growing on the exposed wood. On the sides with the skim coat, there are areas of wood and wallboard that are exposed to the elements and starting to show signs of age way too soon.
You see, if you neglect your exterior wood surfaces from the start, the damage starts on day one. Exposure to the elements will begin to erode the wood from the very moment your project or building is completed. Unprotected wood quickly absorbs moisture from rainwater, dew, snow and ice. As it soaks in, water causes the wood to soften and swell. When the sun comes out, the wood dries out in the heat, causing it to shrink, harden and crack. Then it rains again, and the cycle continues. Ultimately, your brand-new building will wear out prematurely.
The same is true for us, spiritually speaking. We think those things that can’t be seen aren’t hurting us or anyone else—but what we don’t see is the damage done, slowly and sometimes imperceptibly, when areas of our lives are left unprotected. The cost can be high. Remember the guy who built his house on the sand? Matthew 7:27 says, “When the rains and floods come [and they will] and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
At The Inn of Last Resort, we believe God meets us in the places we’ve neglected as much as the ones we’ve tried to polish. If you sense that some areas of your life have been left exposed and are in need of care and renewal, we invite you to learn more about our programs.
