Show and Conceal

We had a "showing" at our house last night. This is so exhausting. We have to keep it nearly immaculate at all times, just in case someone wants to see it. And we don't live in an immaculate house. We have toys in the toy room (what a novel idea), stuff on our kitchen counter, stuff basically everywhere, because we live here. It isn't a museum.

But when you show a house, you don't want potential buyers to walk away because of the junk and clutter. So showing is really just a good facade and more about concealing than what we show. Everyone knows people don't live in houses with spotless cooktops, dustless furniture, toyless toy rooms and nothing on the bathroom counter. We do all of this for mere appearances.

However, it's exhausting. Once the house is sold, we will let the house return to a more livable state.

Yet, I know that people live this way too. We have adopted the mentality that we are rewarded for showing some sides but concealing others.

We have become good at concealing our junk and clutter, because we are afraid that people will walk away from us. It's exhausting having to maintain such a facade.

But I know this, God as a buyer is not like the rest. He walks into your house when your dishes are piled in the sink, your dirty laundry is in a heap and there is a funky diaper odor lingering in the air. He overlooks the junk and clutter and buys the house at full price. He doesn't expect us to keep things immaculate and He doesn't walk away because we have "stuff". He is able to overlook our junk and clutter and loves us anyway.

I'm convinced that the closer we get to the heart of God, the more we adopt this mentality of loving others.