Some time ago, I wrote about ‘spots,’ but I forgot to mention the ‘wrinkles.’ (Aug. 8, 2009: “It only takes a spot”) (Probably unconscious avoidance on my part!) But Jesus is coming for a Church without spot or wrinkle” (Eph. 5:27). OK, so what are wrinkles?
Perhaps the phrase “a new wrinkle” will help us. A “new wrinkle” means adding a new idea to an old one. In that sense, it could apply to those who try to improve the gospel by adding something new to it. But in so doing, something already perfect gets all messed up. In the 1970’s many churches were infected by psychological theories, and began to incorporate the ideas of self-help into their teaching and programs. This has continued to be a wrinkle in many popular churches right up to this day.
The other way to think about a wrinkle is to look at what it does to otherwise clean apparel. No matter how pristine your clothing may be, if it is wrinkled, it is un-presentable. (Think what impression you’d make in a job interview with a wrinkled shirt.) We all have internal wrinkles. And what are they? They are the ‘crooked’ parts of ourselves—our ‘self-life’: from self-hatred to self-confidence. And when people see you, the first thing they see are these wrinkles instead of the perfect life of Christ.
On my daughter’s wedding day, we took precautions not to wrinkle the wedding dress—having been warned not to ‘lay’ it on the bed, we hung it. When Jesus comes, He doesn’t want to see any wrinkles in His Bride’s gown. But good news! If we confess our wrinkles to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our wrinkles and cleanse us from every spot and wrinkle (1 John 1:9, Greg's version).
Greg,
ReplyDeleteYou have brought to mind how "over-the-top" our American culture is about stain-avoidance and "stain-removal." All of the soap companies and their advertising campaigns have been very efficient in weaving this into the "fabric" of our identity.
But not so much has been done about wrinkle-avoidance or wrinkle-removal. Wrinkle resistant clothing is usually for more expensive garments, some which can never expect to be purchased by any more than a select few. Wrinkle removal is usually relegated to the old-fashoined iron...or dry-cleaning--somewhat more affordable but still not considered integral in today's modern society. Maybe some "top-of-the-line washer/dryer combinations might do the trick but affordability is still the issue.
Because wrinkles are more subtle than stains, stains get all the attention and wrinkles get pushed aside with regard to importance. Thank you, Greg, for bringing this matter to our attention, as you have done so well so many other times!
We need to be just as vigilant against the wrinkles in our life as we have become with the stains.
Stan
I am blown away at this perspective. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight Stan. Yes indeed; there must be some psychological defenses in place that cause us to have wrinkle phobias!!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank to you Anau for your comments... always appreciated.
Greg