I've never forgotten a fella from my high school days. He drove a flashy red muscle car with mag wheels, a competition rake, and all the bells and whistles. To look at it, you would have thought it was the fastest car in town. But when you popped the hood, there sat this tiny little engine that a kid on a fast Schwinn bicycle could probably beat!

I can't help but see the spiritual parallel.

A flashy gold cross around the neck. “I Love Jesus” bumper stickers. Quoting Scripture like a verse-a-blender. Greeting everyone with a loud, “Hey, Brother! Have you got the victory?”

But then draw back the curtain on the inner life, lift the hood, and what do we find?

Snakes. Scorpions. Pride. Bitterness. Lust. Greed. Hatred. And all manner of darkness slithering and crawling beneath the polished exterior.

The outside may look like a spiritual muscle car—but God is not impressed by the chrome. He looks under the hood.