On any cold winter day, you can find my husband in his La-Z-Boy watching the western channel. While they’re not my favorite shows, unless it’s Gunsmoke, every so often some small clip proves to be priceless. Such was the case this week. As I was about to punch in HGTV, I paused for a second, and was rewarded with this scene. Don your black and white goggles, and imagine four dusty cowboys lazing on the steps of the local mercantile. The cattle drive is over and it’s time to kick back. As they contentedly talk, and chaw on their “tabaccy“, out of the store step two pretty young women dressed in brand new blue jeans. I’m guessing this was set in the late 1800’s, and women seldom wore denim in any form, and never pants!! The whistling told them that they had the men’s attention, unwanted as it was, so one of the indignant gals spoke, saying, “What’s the matter? Haven’t you ever seen a woman in pants before?” Quick as Matt Dillon in a gunfight, one of the cowpokes replies, “Shur we have, but it’s not so much the crust that makes the pie, it’s the fillin’.” See, is that not priceless? You know I had to write it down immediately. That wise cowboy knew that the outward denim wasn’t worth their admiration, but what made those jeans whistle-worthy was what was inside!!
I may be stretching the fabric a bit on this one, but bear me out. We can all put on a pretty good Christian crust if we have a mind to. Going to church, following doctrine, serving on committees and so on, all reflect, at least in outward appearance, that we are good Christians. As I’ve said before, none of those things are wrong, but they are superficial. What I’m asking you today, and what God will ask you, one day soon is, “What’s in your fillin’?” While it’s easy to check things off a spiritual list: church, done; serve as a greeter, check, God is looking for the internal stuff. “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:17. This passage, written down by the prophet Samuel, describes David, the one chosen and anointed to be King. He didn’t look royal, but oh was his fillin’ rich! His exterior may have been soiled, but his heart was fully attuned to God.
Skip forward several hundred years to when Jesus began his ministry. The nation of Israel was burdened with list keeping, and looking good on the outside. The Pharisees were the official list/Law enforcers, and Jesus confronted them in all their external “holiness”. Here in the 23 chapter of Matthew is a small section of that in-your-face teaching. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! Matthew 23:25.
Yeah, their crust looked great, but their fillin’ was rotten. So, what is the recipe for good fillin’? Paul, talking on just this topic to the church in Ephesus, is a great place to start. “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ…..For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; “ Ephesians 5. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord, and imitate God, I love those lines. We need to know God, and his word, intimately, the way he knows us, so that we can truly be filled with what pleases him. Making a good fillin’ can’t be left to chance. God has the only authentic recipe, and he wants to create it in us, using his ingredients. Both you and He will enjoy the results!!!
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