The exterior and the interior !

The first picture in this blog gives an inside and outside view of the flower in its opening phase. 

The second picture of an opening flower provides only a outside view.

No view is complete unless we have an inside and outside view. 

Look at the contrast between the outside and the inside. 

It is the inside view that is authentic. It is the inside of a flower that holds our attention rather than an outside view. 

Jesus of Nazareth made a comment about this, which comes to my mind now. 'But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man' (Mat.16:18).

What is that we carry in our hearts is what matters. 

I recall a conversation with a friend, who wronged a person disproportionate to all expectations. It was almost a deceitful act. A friend took advantage of the situation to his benefit with the consequence of harming the friend. Listening to the story, I felt lost and embarrassed. Outwardly they are friends, but inwardly one was plotting against the other. I remembered how Judas pretended to a follower of Jesus only to betray Jesus to the Jews leading to the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. 

I took time during the last week end to go back to review instances when I let down or betrayed friends or strangers. I review some situations, where I could have been different. 

What resides in our thought world is what matters. It is with our thoughts we set out to do good or pursue self promotion. 

I came across an instance when those in authority were high handed without showing any consideration to the vulnerability of a suffering person who took a short cut at work. I also came across a situation,  when a colleague went out of his way to provide comfort and care for someone who was silently suffering. 

Our inner world needs regular audit. It is a place where anger, resentment, enmity, jealousy and self pursuit can remain hidden. 

How refreshing to have friends whose inner thoughts towards us are genuinely affectionate and upbuilding! Let the interaction we have with each other spring from within, where honesty and truth reside. May we receive each other with an attitude of welcome and be know for transparency and integrity!

M.C.Mathew (photo and text)