Yards take a lot of work to keep them looking good! One of my first jobs was taking care of my grandpa’s yard – it was GIGANTIC! Each time I came to mow and weed-wack it was a 6-hour ordeal! Those of you that know me understand that I HATE being in the sun… especially when there are wasps in sight!
While the sun marred my skin with ultraviolet radiation (at least that’s how I felt!), I noticed the same weeds always grew back. Regardless of how many times I ripped apart their leaves with the powerful blades from the weed-eater, I had to repeat the process the following week!
I realized the issue is that I was only dealing with the part of the weed I could see. The nourishment and sustainability for the ugly plant came from the root system. These weeds were deeply rooted into the ground; I was dealing with the symptoms and leaving the true problem untouched.
This is true in the Christian life.
We deal with the 10% of ourselves that everybody can see and neglect the destruction wreaked by the sinful root system. Even the Titanic, proclaimed as the unsinkable ship, was utterly ripped apart by a seemingly innocent iceberg.
It’s not what you see that causes destruction, it’s often what is hidden below the surface.
Removing weeds through the root is a painful process. It takes the effort of your full body and leaves you experiencing exhaustion. Instead of the painstaking process of self-examination, many Christians combat the symptoms rather than remove the roots. As we gather around other people, we put on masks in order to appear more righteous than we really are. Each sphere of our life is a different scene, calling for a new costume, all in a grand attempt keep up appearances.
One of the greatest playwrights, William Shakespeare, explains it this way:
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts…
We began a brand new series this past Sunday at The Rescue Church called Emotional IQ. We are going to spend 8 weeks digging into the root system of our sinful habits. I believe we are going to experience incredible freedom as we expose the hidden parts of who we are to the power of the Gospel!
I preach in the Garretson, South Dakota campus of the church (we meet in the local high school). If you live in the area, it would be an honor for you to join us on this journey. We meet every Sunday morning at 10am; you are welcome to take off the mask and admit your brokenness.
We are a hospital for sinners… not a memorial for saints.
Tyler Ramsbey 