What’s Up Your Sleeve?

““… it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” Lev. 17:11

My husband is a real funny guy who has a long list of quotations he likes to pull out at what he believes are appropriate moments. One of these quotes is from the old “Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.” Remember the skit between story lines when Bullwinkle would say, “Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat. Nothin’ up my sleeve,” and then a lion’s head would come roaring out instead? Maybe it was a little funnier on television, but it does make a good point. What are you hiding and how and when might it make an unwelcome appearance? What’s up your sleeve?

There are so many things we choose to conceal from each other. We use make-up to hide blemishes on our skin. We wear clothing designed to hold in the bulges that are too round and pad the places that are too flat. We pull sleeves over the tattoos life has left, and we develop countless shallow relationships to hide our need for real fellowship. We cover insecurity with bravado, ignorance with loud self-assurance, and hide our secret sins behind smiling masks of perfect piety. We sit in our pews, row after row of goofy moose magicians who think we’ve got everything tucked away and hidden from view until every now and then a lion’s head roars out of our sleeves.

Sure, we may be shocked, but, believe it or not, it’s easy to ignore the pain we see in others—and often experience ourselves. Even a roaring lion can be politely overlooked while everything is quickly tucked back in. The hapless magician may not return to his spot in the pew for a while, or ever, but often things return to normal with our secrets securely in place. But we are called to be more than normal. We are called to “an even better way” (1 Cor. 12:31)—the way of Love.

The better way is self-sacrificing. It doesn’t try to hide weakness in order to look good. It’s the way that is patient and kind, not boastful or conceited. It doesn’t rejoice in others’ failures but rather in the truth that is shared with everyone who will listen. It bears all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. And it is the way that can move mountains—even mountains of sin and shame.

Interestingly, Jesus calls Himself “the way” (John 14:6). In Him, there is no need to hide because He knows what’s hidden up our sleeves and loves us anyway. In fact, He covers what we can’t with His own precious blood. That’s what atonement means—to cover, cancel, cleanse, forgive, pardon, purge, and reconcile. The blood of Jesus covers it all so we don’t have to.

The next time a lion roars from the sleeve of your neighbor, or maybe even out from under your own, remember the gracious covering that makes atonement for our lives. We don’t have to hide our failures and pretend to be perfect. Rather we need to reveal our mistakes to the Lord and even to one another. Confessing our weakness gives Jesus the glory He deserves and brings “those who are far away near by the blood of the Messiah” (Eph. 2:13). The truth really will set us free, and it will bring other pretenders out into the light.

Now what’s up your sleeve? Hopefully nothing but the blood of Jesus!

[By Lisa Huddleston]

Comments

1

I wish you put in a link for FACEBOOK with this so I could share it with my shallow superficial FB friends!!

posted at 7:32pm on February 11, 2009 by BRAD.OBRIEN

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