transparency.

I was at the store the other day. I was looking for some empty bottles. As I was browsing, I stopped to look at two types of bottles that caught my eye. One was completely transparent; the other was opaque. I pondered on the purpose of the bottles, what I needed them for, and things like that, that you usually think of when you're shopping. Later on, as I was filling up my bottles for their intended use, a thought came to mind.

    Paul says that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit in. Later on, speaking on the ministry he says in 2 Corinthians 4 that we have this treasure in "jars of clay"; all implying the idea of containers. As I looked at my containers, I thought of my own life. How do I comply with the purpose that I was made for? 

    At the risk of sounding too mundane, I would like to think of us as some of these plastic or glass containers. Some transparent, some opaque. The opaque containers don't let you see what is inside. Yes, they are marked, but if at some point you change the liquid inside and forget to change the marking, you have trouble. The clear bottle, on the other hand, allows you to see what is inside at first glance. Sure, it still needs to be marked, but it will be so much easier to distinguish the contents. I can have the best cleaner in the world, but if I don't know that it is in the bottle, I can never use it, and my counter, my floor, my furniture, will never be clean.

    These days we love to talk about transparency. We all like our business transactions be done with transparency; nothing to hide. We don't like those "hidden fees", do we? We like to see ministries that are genuinely carrying out their calling without ulterior motives. Sometimes we also like to call that authenticity. The fact that what we say is true and real, and there are no skeletons in our closets.

    So, what if I am a container? What if you are a container? We could choose to be opaque and rely on our Christian label for others to know what is inside. That's fine. Unless you change what's inside and forget to change the label. Or we could choose to be transparent and allow Christ to be seen clearly through the glass. 

    But sometimes the glass gets dirty. Sin opaques it. Our thoughts, attitudes, and behavior can cloud the walls of our lives and Christ can't be clearly seen in us. Others question what is inside of us and our purpose is doubted. Funny thing about chemistry; sometimes a dash of one element can change the entire content of the bigger thing. Remember, "a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough" (1 Corinthians 5:6)? And how many of us have confused sugar with salt? No need to comment on that one. On the other hand, has anyone seen the effect that one cup of chlorine has on a large swimming pool? Sin doesn't have to be big and visible to change the nature of what is inside of us. The wrong thought or the wrong attitude at any given moment can ruin the good that we hold. 

    We want to be transparent Christians. But transparency is not about letting others see the authenticity in us, it is about letting others see Christ through us. 

    Father, let us (let me) allow the Holy Spirit to act like that cup of chlorine that cleanses out all the impurities in my life so that the contents of my jar, all that is inside of me can reflect the Christ that lives in me and wants to use me to cleanse the world around me.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies." (1 Corinthians 6:29-20-NIV)

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