I watch housing renovation shows. You know, the ones where the house doesn’t look too bad and should be an easy flip. Sometimes, I think I would just be happy with the way it is without major reconstruction, but that is not the point of the show. I would say that eight out of ten times, the people doing the renovations find mold, lead, or something wrong with the pipes behind the walls. It is always hidden. It has to be fixed before any more renovations can happen. And most of the time, it is expensive. 

I think we can be a lot like those houses. 

Ezekiel was a priest-turned-prophet. He was responsible for relaying the messages of judgment and doom to the people of Jerusalem. In chapter 14, we see the elders coming to him. Many scholars believe these elders were hoping for good news or at least told how long the judgment would last. To the normal human eye, they looked like they had it all together, living godly lives and being sincere in their request. But God saw their hearts and what they did in secret. He revealed all this to Ezekiel, and the message remained the same. But He also told Ezekiel in verse 5 of this chapter that the purpose was to “recapture the hearts” of those who had deserted Him. This punishment was so the people would know that God is the LORD God. 

As global workers, living a masquerade life portraying godliness is easy. We can hide our idols of power, money, and status in the name of “serving the Lord.” Those supporting us may put us on a pedestal that sometimes feels nice. The people we work with think we are more knowledgeable than we are. The respect they have for us can puff us up. But if we peel off the masks and deflate the pride, we might find that our “house” may need some work in the hidden parts. 

Those renovation shows always strip the house to the bare minimum to reveal those parts that are broken or toxic and need replacement. If they are not fixed, those problems grow into larger problems later and will be harder and more expensive to fix. In the end, the owners always fix the problem, and the house looks amazing. 

What about us? Could we ask God to “search us” and show us the areas in which we have allowed idols into our hearts (Ps. 139:23-24)? Could we be vulnerable to confess those not only to the Lord but to seek a safe person to share with and find accountability to rid the idol completely?