From a Distance
By Lisa Boyer
“But He gives us
more grace.”
James
4:6a (NIV)
I
love taking pictures and capturing nature and wildlife has become one of my
favorite hobbies of late. This summer, I’ve had the privilege of photographing
indigo buntings, a red squirrel, hummingbirds, a baby bunny nursing, male and
female orioles, a baby cardinal, twin fawns, a red-tailed hawk, a pair of
mallard ducks, and more birds than I can identify…all in my yard. And when I’m
not home, I find I’m subconsciously looking for nature scenes worth capturing….
Several
times, I’d driven past an amazing-looking apple tree with the brightest red
apples I’d ever seen. Eventually, I found a moment to stop to take a picture.
As I stood under the tree, I saw the apples weren’t as wonderful as they
appeared from the road. Yes, they were bright red, but up close I could see
bruises and insect damage. Not wanting to give up, I searched the tree for the
right angle to take a picture from, but the wasps swarming the apples made the
perfect picture impossible to get. I was seriously disappointed.
As
I drove away, I considered how often life is like that. From a distance, things
can look so perfect, but get close enough and flaws are revealed. Relationships
are ideal for bringing out flaws. The fall of man - - Adam’s sinful act in the garden - - and
our own sin affect us in such negative, and often painful, ways. Let’s face it:
We are imperfect beings living in an imperfect world.
But
just because getting close to someone reveals our and their imperfections,
let’s not keep others at a distance because of it. How we handle imperfections
can speak louder than words themselves.
Consider
what the response might be if we graciously accept others when their
imperfections are painfully obvious. They may see the love of Jesus being lived
out for the first time. And what if when our own imperfections come to light,
we respond humbly and ask for forgiveness? People will recognize that there’s
something extraordinary about us, providing an opportunity to share Jesus with
others!
While
imperfections may indeed ruin our picture-perfect image, they can also reveal
that we live lives of grace, ever dependent on God’s grace…and that is truly a
beautiful picture!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you living out God’s grace in your life?
Today, will you take time to thank Him again for all He’s done for you?
2. Do you
hide your imperfections, or pretend they don’t exist? Today, will you ask God
how to deal with them in a way that pleases and honors Him?
FURTHER READING:
Lisa
has been married to Ted for over 20 years and they have two teenage sons. Lisa
administers Fresh Start’s Facebook and blog, and loves hanging out with and
impacting teenage girls for Christ.
