Polished, with No Substance!
Recently, I was sitting at a tire shop getting new tires put on my car which was a favor move of God, by the way (huge thanks to James Smoot at Smoothturnroadside). While I waited, I decided to work on some social media designs for Titus 2 Living. I pulled up a design site and started working on different designs for Facebook covers, YouTube thumbnails and all that.
While enjoying my time of creative exploration, I realized something quite important. I could spend hours working on the presentation for Titus 2 Living just to ensure that each thumbnail is perfectly polished and each Facebook photo has the right colors and each Instagram image looks great, but if I have no substance or content, all of that polished imagery means nothing. I would just have images that look great.
Seriously! I was sitting there focusing MORE on how everything was going to look and had no content. No blog post, no message, nothing. I wanted the look to be right. It had to be polished. It had to be strong! Right, polished and strong with no substance to go with it. Now, you may say “Joy, there is nothing wrong with having a polished look before you develop the content, what’s the issue?”
I get it. This post could even seem a little elementary in context so let’s change directions a bit.
Often times, we as believers focus so much on how we look and our presentation to others that if we’re asked to recite a scripture, we can’t because we don’t know any word, let alone where it’s found in the Bible. We’re super polished with our fancy hats and well manicured attire, but we have no Holy Ghost. Our hair is laid and our shoes are slaying but we’re as mean as the dickens (as the “old folk” would say).
Do you get my point? You could work so hard to have the polished look of salvation and not even have a relationship with the Savior. You can look well put together to others and look a hot mess to God because you don’t know Him or His word. And when was the last time you simply said, “Thank you, Jesus”?
Now, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying look sloppy and unkept. That is not what I’m saying at all! But make sure you have some substance with your look of excellence. Make sure you have the Holy Ghost! Make sure you have the Word of God in you! Make sure you know Jesus! Make sure you have the fruit of the Spirit and not just a polished look!
Get it?
If you do, leave a comment below and let’s discuss! Are you just a polished look or do you have some Godly substance?
Amen, well said. Jesus talked about whitewashed cups, who only looked good on the outside. Our call to be salt and light: to edify others and glorify God requires that we be transformed from the inside out. We must be born again, Spirit filled and Spirit led. That’s how we reflect and magnify Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Hey Sis. Deborah, thank you so much for your comment. Absolutely, we have to be careful about comes out of our mouth because that is what defiles a man. And we must be born again, born of the water and of the Spirit! Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading more of your comments!
Amen, I had just a polished look I thought was doing God. Got new clothes and my hair done and thought I was Holy.
Until God smacked me in the face and made me realize I had an ongoing ought with my sister in Christ that I had to let go and love purely. There was no word in me. Holy Ghost convicted me in His word to be God’s disciple by how ye love one another. To God Be The Glory
Thank you for sharing! I definitely understand. We can be so focused on the outer appearance that we forget to work on our inside. Keep growing in the word of God! I’ve been smacked too, so you are definitely not alone! Again, thanks for sharing!
Amen, this is a very good topic. I have learned so much at Heavens Harvest Ministries about the presentation of holiness. For years I maintained a “wash-n-go” mentality because I always had so much going on. I really only took the time to present myself well for evenings out or formal presentations at work. Even in looking great, I couldn’t hide my anger or the issues I carried in my heart. I have learned the importance of having substance in my life by applying the word of God to my life. So now, I feel great and make others feel great by spreading the love of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for sharing, Dr. GNP! I completely understand your point. Oh how many of us have experienced the “wash-n-go” mentality! God be magnified for His word which can be applied to our lives so that we’ll grow sound in doctrine. We celebrate your growth by applying the word of God to your life and keep spreading the love of Jesus Christ!
I understand. It is not elementary at all. My daily checks include am I pleasing you God or do I look like something else. In my past, I wanted to fit in so badly, I used to take advice from people who had been in the church longer that I had been on what to wear. I was still sinning. Then, I had to rebuke the fallacy of “well, I am more real when I am just doing me because don’t nobody know what they’re talking about anyway when they look and judge”. What a defensive and victim-like mentality! Just sinful. I learned to have a standard. At HHM I learned that standard is the Word of God. I used to tell my daughter that pretty and stupid don’t match. I remind myself that if I don’t know any Word, I got nothing to pull from in time of trouble and in time of praise. As I say to my baby girl, “You can look smart and you can sound smart, but when the test comes we find out if you actually are.” Thank you for this wonderful reminder. ICYB!
Great point! I’m sure you’re not the only one who has had the desire to fit in. When we have that desire, we tend to separate ourselves from the standard of God and compromise our value. How can God be glorified in that? Knowing God is to know His word and to know His word is to know His standard and understand His will! Keep growing in the Word of God and thank you for sharing!
Amen cousin Joy. What a terrific analogy!!! So applicable with sooooo much religion of every whim and taste. But guess what? The substance should be the same: Christ and Him crucified, risen and now triumphantly sitting at the right hand of God.
Hey Cousin!! Absolutely, the substance should be the same: One Spirit! One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism! One God and Father of all! The Word of God! It’s not about denomination, the question is do you have the Holy Ghost? Do you know Jesus? Are you born again? Are you saved? Do you have a relationship with God? Do you know the word of God? There’s your substance! Thanks for sharing, Cousin!
Amen! I agree 100%. Too often I’m polished with no substance. I can tell friends, coworkers, family how the Word says we should live, but how much of it do I really live myself? How much of do I know for myself and where it’s found, rather than just repeating what I’ve been taught in service on Sundays. When they ask me where a scripture is found, the minute I say, “Hold on, let me get my notes so I can read you the verse,” I’m already in trouble. I can’t get by just remembering pieces of the message, I MUST know the Bible for myself and not be sounding brass.
Absolutely, Bri! We must know the Word of God for ourselves. It seems so easy to just quote scripture but when it comes to quoting the word and giving where it is located or even to explain what it mean, we find some challenges. Yet, the more we study to show ourselves approved, the more we will be “well rounded” in the word of God! Great point!