Clean the Cup!

You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.  Matthew 23:26

I have a coffeecup I love.  It says " Aggie Mom".  It is a rather large cup so I get the amount of coffee in one cup which actually it is  probably equal to two!   I am a proud Aggie mom and an Aggie wife! I love the way it looks and the amount it holds.  I proudly display this cup!   I had drunk from the cup the night before and rinsed it out before I went to bed.  This morning when I got up and began my morning routine, which includes the coffee, I looked inside the cup and, much to my chagrin,  I noticed I had not thoroughly cleaned it!  I had not gotten out all of the coffee and cream I had put in the day before.  I am a clean freak!!  I ran hot water that steamed, poured about a half a bottle of DAWN in it and began to vigorously clean the inside of the cup as well as the outside.  What was funny is the outside of my cup looked clean with its perfect design and shape.  From the outside nothing looked wrong with it.  But, the inside of the cup made it totally unusable!  This is what Jesus was telling the scribes and Pharisees in this passage.  He was basically telling them that they said all the right things, followed over 600 laws a day, which they were very proud of, but their hearts were full of anger, hate, and malice!  They were literally good for nothing and unusable!  His advice to them was to clean the inside of their hearts (motives) and it would flow out to the outward man!  You cannot "save" yourself.  We had to have a Saviour for that.  He did not mean clean yourself up and come to Me, but instead He meant examine your hearts and motives and be sure you are doing what God would have you to do to please Him and not to look impressive to others and please yourselves! You won't have to spin your wheels looking impressive by what you drive, live in, etc.. God on the inside flowing to the outside will cause people to stop and say, "I want that!" That, my friend, is really what it is all about!! God asks such simple things of us.  He doesn't ask us to do complicated, harsh, or burdensome duties to be usable and pleasing to Him.  He is simply looking for a pure heart with pure motives who wants to hear "Well done, My good and faithful servant!"  Sometimes a good "spring cleaning" of the soul makes a tremendous difference!  We see things differently, react differently, and look for opportunities to bless others instead of just seeking what is "good" for us! What peace and joy comes from something so simple as saying, "Thank you Father for showing me my heart and applying your forgiveness, grace and mercy to my life!"   Watch doors of opportunity open and people be blessed just by coming into contact with that increased anointing in your life!  Have a blessed day, all day my friend!  :)