Keeping Up Appearances

Start with wearing themask in darkness and shining the light on it...

Read “In The Dark” story:

A young soldier and his commanding officer got on a train together.

The only available seats were across from an attractive young lady who was traveling with her grandmother.

As the four engaged in conversation, the soldier and the young lady kept eyeing one another.

There was an obvious mutual attraction.

Suddenly the train went into a tunnel, sending the train car into darkness.

Immediately two sounds were heard: the smack of a kiss followed by the whack of a slap across someone’s face.

The grandmother thought, I can’t believe he kissed my granddaughter, but I’m glad she gave him the slap he deserved.

The commanding officer thought, I don’t blame the boy for kissing the girl, but it’s a shame that she missed him and hit me instead.

The young girl thought, I’m glad he kissed me, but I wish my grandmother hadn’t slapped him for doing it.

And as the train broke into the sunlight, the soldier couldn’t help but smile.

He had managed to kiss a pretty girl and slap his commanding officer and get away with both!

It’s hard to get away with anything in the light. That’s why so many people love the darkness (John 3:19).

"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." -Hebrews 4:13

There are no secrets in your heart that God does not already know about it.

Why Hide Who We Are?

1. The TROUBLES that TANGLE you

Ever eat vomit?

Proverbs 26:11 - "As a dog that returns to his vomit, a fool that repeats his folly."

Even though we’re cleansed through and through, we will still be accountable for what we do.

"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them." -Peter 2:20-21

Story: Baboons On The Loose

In eastern Africa a troop of about 50 baboons made themselves at home right next to a farm.

The baboons were amusing at first but soon wore out their welcome.

Before long they were ravaging the corn and other crops and helping themselves to anything they could get their hands on.

The frustrated farmers in the area made plans to have the animals destroyed.

To do this they set up cages with food in them. Their plan was to capture the baboons and then kill them once they were trapped.

Baboons, however, aren’t stupid animals. Sensing that the cages were dangerous, they refused to go in.

But the farmers were patient. After several days, one of the hungry baboons ventured into the cage and sampled the food.

It was good --- very good. And nothing bad happened.

The next day, the same baboon returned for more food. Other baboons soon followed.

After a few days, the entire troop of baboons were going into the cages to feast on the food that had been put there by the farmers.

Rather than being afraid of the cages, the baboons started to like them.

For several weeks, the baboons went into the cages every day to get their food.

One day, however, the food was tied to the door latch. When the animals grabbed the food, the doors of the cages slammed shut.

The baboons were spooked at first, but quickly went back to finishing their meal.

They showed no real concern for the fact they had been trapped in a cage.

Sin is a lot like those baboon traps. Down deep you know it can harm you, but just like the food in those traps, it looks pretty good. And you’re hungry! That’s the sin nature.

You may try to resist temptation and do the right thing at first. But then you start to see other people indulging themselves without anything bad happening.

And just like the baboons, you start to believe that you can get away with it yourself.

2. The FOLLY of wrong FRIENDS

Read Story: Bad Company

A great stag (an adult male deer), mighty and majestic, became sick and staggered off to a corner of the pasture where he often fed.

He chose a lush, green corner where plant life abounded and where he could rest until he regained his strength.

His companions began coming to his resting place in great numbers to see him and to ask how he was doing.