Shine it up!

Mythbusters did a segment on “Can you polish a poop?” based on a saying they often used around their shop when someone was being too nitpicky about something “You’re just trying to get a shine on that ... “stuff”. They gathered various kinds of “scat” from a local zoo and tried a couple of different techniques without success. Then they learned about the Japanese art of “dorodango” - turning balls of mud into shiny...well...balls. It actually worked! They even geeked out and tested the reflective qualities of their poo-balls with a machine that declared they were indeed 'shiny'.
But it was still poop.
All they did was superficial. It didn’t change anything about the content of their “material”. They were quite thrilled with their results, because they accomplished their goal. I found it fun to watch, even interesting, but I’m happy to say I wasn’t there.
With the smell.
Not to mention the memory of spending that much time up close and personal with something so...personal.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5:17
New car smell is a good smell. Fresh baked bread? Amazing! But what God does in a sinner’s heart is even more amazing. He takes something used, abused, and nasty and makes it NEW. When you put your trust in Christ, it’s like being reborn.
That’s why Jesus told Nicodemus he had to be born again. Nothing else in our experience compares. It's a reboot that makes the hard drive brand spanking new!
And if it doesn’t begin there, all our charities, good works, church attendance, and good intentions are just poop-polishing. No matter what kind of shine we put on the outside, if it doesn’t come from a changed heart, it’s wasted. Not to mention, disgusting!