Unvarnished truth, or Self-portrait

Last Sunday’s lesson was interesting on a number of fronts—the parables, the “seed” object lesson, analogy of the “power of observation” for levity, and the idea of steganography to help make the point that understanding spiritual truth is not a matter of intellect. It was fun to study the lesson and teach it.

This week’s lesson, “Practice Genuine Purity” from Matthew 13:54-16:12 may present a greater personal challenge, however. It ask questions such as “Are You Dishonest?”, “Are You Blind?”, and “Are You Defiled?”.

Also, I’ve sometimes wondered if the Pharisees were just strong willed and ignorant, but passages like this help me see their intransigence as true hypocrisy. They knowingly practiced sinful behavior according to Mark Rathel, while outwardly maintaining an air of self-righteousness.

It may be interesting to start this lesson with ‘how people see themselves.” If you will, what is their “self-portrait?” For example, ask members how many are content with their driver’s license, or passport photo. Many will take exception to it. Why? I suppose it doesn’t present a picture that’s flattering? Assuming the picture is valid, however, it means that how they appear in their imagination doesn’t match how they really appear.

To practice genuine purity we must move from how we want to appear to how we actually appear to God. He knows the unvarnished truth.