Self-righteousness is only skin-deep

October 10, 2006

By Greg Ebie

Recently I viewed the skin from an anaconda living somewhere in the jungles of Ecuador. I’m glad it was only the skin; this snake is about 12 feet long and still growing! As the snakeskin was unrolled I could only begin to imagine what it must have been like for that snake to crawl out of its skin.

Some people think they can live how they want and then “change their skin.” If only it were that easy for us to change our skins, or should I say sins? Some want to “sow their wild oats” while they are still young and then they will settle down and live right. Where will the “good oats” come from if all you plant are wild ones?

John the Baptist confronted those coming to be baptized. John didn’t mince words but told the people the truth about living their lives for God.

“When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: ‘Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin.’”

(Luke 3:7,8, The Message)

God always works from the inside out. God is not impressed when we try to change our snakeskins by adjusting our surface appearance. We may leave behind some old habits and try to live differently, but inside our hearts remain the same. Until our hearts are made new we are still only living for ourselves, regardless of how good we might think we are compared to others.

God changes our lives by giving us a new clean heart; God makes us new on the inside! Is there something in your life you have been trying to change on your own? Stop trying to crawl out of your old skin. Ask God to forgive you and give you a new heart.

With cleansed hearts we don’t need a new skin because we stop crawling around in the dirt like a snake and begin to soar on the wings of eagles. That’s a change only God can make happen — from the inside out!

D. Greg Ebie is senior pastor of Praise Assembly of God in Garrettsville, Ohio, and an author of Daily Bread devotionals.