Contemplative Bible Reading

Ezekial 13:10 (New International Reader’s Version)

They lead my people away from me. They say, ‘Peace.’ But there isn’t any peace. They are like people who build a weak wall. They try to cover up the weakness by painting the wall white.

This chapter of Ezekial is written about prophets who give false prophecies. They really aren’t prophets at all; they are phonies, fakes, pretenders, charlatans. I guess we can call the con artists.

I especially like the way they are described in this verse. They have a wall that is not much of a wall. In the succeeding verses we find that the wall falls down when it rains. Well, how do you make a soon-to-crumble wall look strong? Slap a good coat of paint on it.

This translation uses the phrase “paint the wall white.” Most of the translations use the term “whitewash.” Believe it or not, Wikipedia has a long, detailed article on the composition and affect of whitewash. It seems that good whitewash is stronger and more durable than I thought. It also seems to me that “good whitewash” is a contradiction in terms. (But I digress.)

Anyways, paint is a thin coating of color that covers surface defects on a wall. Paint does not transform cardboard into brick. A painted “wall” made of cardboard is not a brick wall.

A coat of paint is like a mask I would wear on my face. Putting a mask of a football player on my face doesn’t make me a football player – atheletic ability does that. Putting a mask of a Christian on my face doesn’t make me a Christian – trusting in Christ and having the heart of Christ does that.

So often today, we as Christians have days when we just cannot muster the love of Christ in our lives. We sort of put on a good coat of paint, a good mask. We learn how to “look like” a Christian on those days even though are hearts are not in it.

God, help me to truly be a Christian each day. Help me to fight the temptation of putting on a good coat of paint and masquerading as a Christian.