Father, thanks for walking alongside me this day. It was a good day and everything went smoothly. You bless me in abundance! Praise Your Holy Name!
Mark 15:6-15 (<<click to read the passage)
In 1837 Hans Christian Andersen published a short tale entitled “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” It is about two weavers who promise an emperor a new suit of clothes that they say is invisible to those who are unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent – while in reality, they make no clothes at all, making everyone believe the clothes are invisible to them. When the emperor parades before his subjects in his new “clothes”, no one dares to say that they do not see any suit of clothes on him for fear that they will be seen as stupid. Finally, a child cries out, “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!” (Wikipedia: The Emporer’s New Clothes)
Oh, how humiliating to be caught out and about in your skivvies because you were a fool! The emperor’s “transparency” showed him for who he truly was.
In today’s passage, the leading priests truly believe they had everyone fooled…but they were the fools. As followers of Christ, we are challenged to be transparent, but their transparency showed them to be all we strive not to be – self-seeking, hypocritical, envious, etc., etc.
Pilate may have interacted with them to some degree but regardless he saw through their thinly veiled “righteousness” to the heart of who they really were. He attempted to sidestep them but because of his own weaknesses and vulnerabilities, he broke and yielded to the pressure the leading priests placed on him, as well as the pressure of the people they pushed to call for Jesus’ execution. Pilate was transparent as well – he had no true desire for justice. His one and only desire was to cover himself.
As I wrote earlier, as followers of Christ, I believe we are challenged to be transparent. When we hide who we really are and the truth comes out, everything we have said about who we are comes under scrutiny. Proverbs 28:13 states,
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. (NLT)
In Numbers 32:23 we find Moses stressing to the Israelites that must do what they said they would do – transparency – and if they didn’t he said: “you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” (NLT)
The Apostle Paul in his writings to the church in Corinth used himself as an example of transparency.
This is our [reason for] proud confidence: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [in general], and especially toward you, with pure motives and godly sincerity, not in human wisdom, but in the grace of God [that is, His gracious lovingkindness that leads people to Christ and spiritual maturity]. 2 Corinthians 1:12 (AMP)
Lord Jesus, help me to live a life of transparency. May I never misrepresent You. May what people see in me – hear from me – may it be a genuine reflection of You in my life. If they hold me up to the light, may they see You shining through! Amen.

Aug 27th, 2019, Tues, 8:11 pm