Unprepared and Unconnected

I attended worship today at Central UMC in Fairmont, WV. The pastor (Rev. Mary Ellen Finnegan) preached on the Matthew 25:1-13 lectionary reading.

I'm still thinking about one or two of the things she said:

• The foolish bridesmaids appeared to be as prepared as the wise bridesmaids. They were dressed correctly. They were in the right place, with the right equipment. All that was missing was the oil, and no one would have guessed that from looking at them.
• As the bridegroom approached, all TEN bridesmaids trimmed their lamp wicks. Isn't that interesting? Even the bridesmaids without oil went through the motions of trimming their wicks, even though they knew that they had no oil.

Are we ever like that? Do we appear on the outside, to everyone one around us, that we are full of the light of Christ, when really, inside, we are just empty? Do we ever go through the motions of welcoming God, of serving God when we know that we are so far from God that service becomes impossible. Are we ever the foolish bridesmaids -- not because of lack of preparation, but because we appear to be ready, and act like we are ready, and connected to God, when we are really not connected at all.

In the children's moment, Mary Ellen compared the foolish bridesmaids to flashlights without batteries. Unable to shine. Are we ever that kind of person?