Did you know that if a tiger were to shave then the stripes you see in its fur would be visible on the tiger’s skin? What’s underneath the fur is the same as what you see on the outside.

I wonder whether we would go about our lives as we do currently if what’s beneath the skin was displayed on the outside for all to see. Jesus has a thing or two to say about this:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 23:27-28 ESV

It’s no use saying the ‘right’ things or doing the ‘right’ things if what’s going on internally is full of anger, bitterness, greed, hypocrisy, selfishness or any other type of sin.

• What would you do if your thought life were displayed on a rolling banner above your head for all to see?
• What would you do if your late night screen time were displayed on a billboard in Times Square for all to see?
• Would you make the same choices in private if you knew they would be broadcast later to your friends and family?

Unlike tigers, underneath a zebra’s striped fur the skin is pure black. Their outward beauty is not even skin-deep. Jesus calls out the Pharisees saying, “beneath the skin you’re total frauds.” (Mtt 23:28 MSG) Beneath the fur you’re black with sin. Underneath the stripes and beauty on the outside there’s nothing there.

So if you don’t want to be likened to a grave then I would suggest you start channelling your inner tiger rather than being a zebra, all show and no depth. If you want to be truly beautiful on the outside then it starts much deeper than the skin. It starts with a heart surrendered to Jesus so what He grows on the inside will be displayed externally for all to see.

Don’t be a hypocrite. Be a tiger.