Inside Out

Living Life Inside Out

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The trouble with living from the Inside Out with the evidences of character, integrity, and honesty… is that much of the world lives from the Outside In.  Image seems to matter more than being genuine.  Prestige, performance, and popularity, seem take precedence.  If a man appears humble, loving, and kind – He is often assumed to be weak.  

Would it bother you if the Apostle Paul was bent over, bow legged, balding, and half blind?  I read that possible description of him somewhere.  He sounds 6’8” and grizzley.  But what if he was a small man, scarred, and meek?  In his day and in ours, Paul would lose the popularity contest…He was perishing on the outside but alive on the inside.  

If we live from the outside in, we live, believe, think, and respond backward to Jesus.  We would, however, make a good Pharisee.  … For instance:

Appearance is more important than Actions.  Doesn’t matter what we actually do as long as we appear that we are doing good things.  In Matthew 23 the Pharisees were busy but blind.  They were blind leading the blind.…  All they did was to be seen by others.

Impressions are more important than Intentions.  Doesn’t matter what your actual intentions are as long as you make a good impression – even if it’s a false impression.  In Matthew 15:11 Jesus said it’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles or corrupts you, but what comes out of your mouth.  Because what comes out of your mouth was birthed in your heart.

Reputation is far greater than Relationships…  Relationships with others and with God aren’t the priority.  Instead of loving people and using things, the folks I’m describing use people and love things.  In the process they think too highly of themselves.  And the sad end result is found in Matthew 7 where Jesus said, “I never knew you.”

Paul lived from the inside out.  He lived with an eternal perspective…He writes, “We do not lose heart…”  “the power is of God and not us…” “we’re hard pressed but not crushed…”  “perplexed but not in despair…”  “persecuted but not forsaken…”  “struck down but not destroyed…”  It’d be easy to have wrongfully judged him.  It would appear God was rejecting him…even crushing him.  Some might even judge him as being weak.  Don’t ever confuse humility with weakness.  Paul had a humble spirit but a backbone like a crowbar.  He bowed humbly before God but had the tenacity of a bulldog.  He obeyed God rather than men.

Sometimes we judge others by what we see on the outside… We give up on people. We make assumptions… Not based on anything to do with God and grace… but solely on what we see and assume. We give up on others and ourselves because we fail to see the unseen… what God is doing on the inside.

If I want to live from the inside out, I have to be careful about letting what’s on the outside get in.  Be patient with yourself and with others.  You/they may appear to be perishing on the outside, but they’re actually being renewed and refreshed on the inside.  Trust the Lord when it’d be easier to quit.