White Washed Tomb

A well meaning young man walked up to me after church a few years ago, shortly after Christmas. I was playing electric guitar that day, and was dressed in clothes my dear mum had bought me for Christmas. I had on new blue jeans and a new t-shirt with a dalmation sitting in front of a firetruck emblazened on the front,(my dad was a fireman and I'm still a proud son!).

The young man warmed up by asking if I had a minute to talk after the service, and naturally I said I'd be glad to. He began by praising my playing, insisting that we, as a band, must have spent a lot of time rehearsing, (yeah, right - whatever!).

He continued, confessing that he had had a hard time worshipping that day - because of what I was wearing! I didn't quite know what to say. Of course I was interested because I didn't want to cause my brother to stumble. I asked him about his background because I had not seen him before. He said he had grown up attending a church in Cairo, Egypt, where they all dress in their very best every week, even the man who wears his tux and sits in the front and falls asleep every service. I didn't know what to say. I wanted some time to consider what he had said, so I wished him well and prayed hard about it the next week.

Draw your own conclusions, but this is what I consistently hear God saying to me. Be real Jay. And beware those who would judge based on outward appearances, for the LORD knows the heart of all men and sees past our false fronts, whatever they may be. Beware the white-washed tomb.

WHITE WASHED TOMB

I’ve touched the hands
His cheek tasted my kiss
There ain’t no truth there baby, but
This is where it all begins

Follow me said the blind man
To the man who could not see
‘I’ll lead you from temptation’
‘But you’re gonna follow me.’
‘Baby, you’re gonna follow me.’

You look so good there in that
White washed suit
How much that cost you,
You white washed tomb?
I know your kind
I seen you before
Proud to place your pennies
On the eyes of the blind and the poor

One look into that mirror baby
I’ll tell you what you’ll see
It’s the hand of an angels ‘round the neck
Of that devil on top of me

Jay Duncan 2005