The elegance of the hidden

While doing renovation at our house, it is so easy to scrap something that appears unsightly; a piece of lumber loaded with rusty nails, the appearance of decay or rot, it’s time seems used up, the purpose being ended, the post that held up a porch has seen better days, and the greyish hue of time makes the wood look like a grandfather on life support.

Old/ unwanted/ cast away?

But wait. The wood is heavy. It feels strong. So what if its years of service have ended, there is something here that needs investigated. So I paused the cement work, grabbed my circular saw with a new Diablo blade, and cut a few areas that were not affected by damage.

Can you see the possibilities?

But are we not as humans, similar to the wood? Do we not judge things by appearance on occasion to our detriment, and do not others make assessment of us without having all the facts? Imagine if you will, the unexpected and off the charts serendipitous moment of elation when I laid eyes on this magnificent piece of lumber hidden through time just waiting to be revealed.

Look at this grain!

Smooth like glass, not a defect to be seen, but more, the hidden man of the heart so to speak. And it was 2″ wide! Not the artificial measurements of 1 1/2″ that passes for 2″ today, nope, no false advertising. 2″, rock hard and exquisite.

Beauty from ashes

I can’t begin to tell you how happy I was to see this, to hold it, to enjoy the depths of God’s understated genius, and to consider that all good things come from His hand. But are we not like this piece of wood too? Such distinct works of creation, with no two grains the same, fearfully and wonderfully made.

The believer who sees this will smile to, for the connections are obvious, yet all others may not be so enthralled, for ‘science’ can take no credit, none, nula, nada, zero.

So, while men look on the outward appearance, God looketh upon the heart, and sees value where others do not. In the middle of a hot sweaty day, I so much smiled at the hundreds of ways ‘we get rid of things,’ and miss what joy and blessing awaits us being a foot away.

He made the trees. He made coal, gold, cotton, leather, and of course, He made the stars also. Look closely, underneath it all, and you will see the foundations of the earth, made by the Architect who is always perfect, and who enjoys revealing Himself to they who earnestly seek.