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 23
years and they have two sons in college. Lisa serves in Quest 56 on Sunday
mornings at Oakwood.
