Wallpapering over the rot

Have you ever tried to fix a crumbling wall by simply slapping some trendy wallpaper over the damage? We all have a natural instinct to hide our deepest vulnerabilities and systemic failures behind the flashy, polished display of performative religion. When Jesus encounters a leafy but fruitless fig tree by the side of the road, He doesn't curse it out of anger—He performs a merciful act of…