The church I attend had extensive renovations done to make the surroundings functional and inviting. We have a small central stage where a speaker shares God's Word from behind a pulpit.
It's a wonderful thing to focus on the Bible and let it speak to your heart. Praise and adoration of the Savior and thoughts of God's greatness, should be the result. As well, hopefully a heart that is changed a little bit more to be like Jesus is also a result.
A couple of times I have found myself focusing on a little hole in the wall, behind where the speaker presents the message. The hole is maybe the length and width of my finger, it's big enough to notice. I have wondered why it's still there when all of our surroundings are so nicely painted with matching decor.
Like the hole in the wall, we can end up noticing the weaknesses and flaws of other people we work with, go to school with or even those who attend our local church-forgetting that we ourselves are flawed. We are just like the section of a nicely painted wall, with not only one spot of imperfection but many spots of imperfection-too many to count.
God's Word says "For all have sinned and have missed the shining-greatness of God," (Romans 3:23 NLB). What would give us the right to look down on some people and yet favor other people? I believe that pride is the answer (Proverbs 16:5). Pride caused Adam and Eve to fall in the Garden of Eden. They thought they knew better than God by choosing to disobey His command (Genesis 3).
I've been thinking about the word grace. Grace is God's love in action toward we who merit the opposite of love.
If we viewed others with the same grace that Jesus views us, we wouldn't really have this problem that dishonors God and is so hurtful to others. When we appreciate God's undeserved kindness to us, we will see others as more important than ourselves and seek to minister to their hearts rather than focusing on their imperfections.
"You know of the loving-favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, but He became poor for your good. In that way, because He became poor, you might become rich," (2 Corinthians 8:9 NLB).
When we look at others, do we view them this way? Do we see them as being valuable-so valuable that the sinless Son of God would suffer and die for them? So valuable that they were worth enough to God that He would send His Son, giving up the highest place in Heaven to redeem them? Or do we just notice their flaws and forget that they have a soul that needs to be ministered to?
We all have a hole in our heart that only the grace of God can fill. We are broken and very needy. Nobody is one cut above the rest. From dust we came and to the dust we will return. Thankfully, Christ Jesus came into the world to save us, broken as we are. He gives us value and eternal purpose. When He is given the true central place of an empty heart, His love will touch those around you and it will happen with great humility as you place others first (Philippians 2:3).
Have you believed in Jesus Christ as the one who made Himself lower than the angels; who suffered terribly on the cross for all your sins? He who knew no sin, became sin in your place so that you can be seen as flawless before God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
As a result of coming to know Jesus as your Savior, you will grow to treasure His love more, daily and hourly. People will be more precious to you, because Christ, the one who shed His blood for you, also shed His blood for your fellow human beings.
I hope my church decides to keep that hole in the wall as it's a great reminder of who I am and why Christ came to this sinful world.
Becky Kew shares Good News at Sandy Bay First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. BeckyKew@outlook.com
