The meeting was at an office building that was attractively designed and well built. The facade was a classy brick. The floors were a polished stone. The architect's design used large expanses of glass to bring light to the interior. But... close up, it became apparent that the owner either didn't have the money to maintain the building or the manager just didn't care about the upkeep. The landscaping was not trimmed, the grass grew uncut at the curbs. Inside, hand-lettered signs were stuck to the walls with tape. In the Men's room, a divider was attached to a marble wall with a plain galvanized bracket and ordinary screws. The towel dispenser was empty, a replacement roll carelessly set on the marble counter next to the sink. Everywhere I looked there were little evidences of neglect. Mostly likely both the manager and the tenants have grown accustomed to these little signs of decay and no longer even notice it.
As I drove away, thinking about the investment made by the builder and the subsequent lack of attention to maintenance, I started to think about my life as a temple of the Spirit. I asked, "Am I careful to maintain the beauty the Lord desires or am I letting little things go? Are there places in my life where I have grown accustomed to the trash of sin, to things poorly done because of laziness, to gaps in my integrity?"
Lives do not go to ruin overnight. Moral collapse does not happen in a moment. It is the little stuff that we allow to slip in carelessly that creates pockets of corruption in our lives from which major sins grow. A small resentment left unresolved can grow into hatred. A little coveting can turn into life-controlling envy in a short time. Carelessness about the regular practice of spiritual disciplines - things such as prayer and meditation, daily Scripture intake, fellowship with other Believers in worship, generous sharing and giving - turns into complete neglect of the things of God in a few month's time. The pithy wisdom of the Proverbs says that "Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid." (Proverbs 10:4-5, The Message)
There is an application to the spiritual part of life in that. Great lives do not just happen! Beautiful lives that reflect the glory of God are the result of daily diligence, tending to the little stuff, dealing with temptations while they are still just an impulse rather than trying to clean up the mess that results from the choice to sin.
Here's a word from the Word. Ponder the progression of character that the Spirit revealed to Peter, then pray that the Lord would give you the desire to build and maintain a temple worthy of His Presence, where His beauty shines through in the splendor of His holiness.
"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence,
and moral excellence with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance,
and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:4-10, NLT)
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"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wonderful passion and purity!
All my nature refine,
Oh, Thou Spirit Divine;
'til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."- Public domain
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