Earlier today I saw a facebook status a friend wrote about her little girl. She was gathering sea shells and kept picking up broken ones. Her mother told her to put them back in favor of the shells that were whole, complete, and pretty. The little girl looked at her mother and said, "But Mama, the broken ones are pretty too!"
Maybe that's why Jesus wanted us to have the faith of a child, for sometimes they see things more clearly than we do. Her innocent logic speaks so much truth!
How often do we see someone who is disabled, or elderly, or physically unattractive and we inwardly cringe. They don't meet "our standard" of pretty or acceptable. It's almost like that element of "high school" never gets out of our system even as we age. You know, that time of life when everyone wants to be friends with the popular kids and no one wants to be friends with the overweight boy or the girl who stutters? Or how about, "I'm don't want to date them...they're ugly!" I wonder if it's humbling to them when they realize in adulthood that they secretly never moved past those thoughts?
You see, I know that some adults don't grow out of those thought patterns--because I have been the unattractive, physically impaired woman. And I know how it feels to be rudely stared at, or worse! Like when complete strangers feel they have the right to publicly question you. "What's wrong with you?" "What were you diagnosed with?" (Eventually you move past the awkwardness and embarrassment and learn that pointed, stern expressions "help" them learn manners fairly quick.)
What is it about us that makes us think we have a right to decide who is "pretty" or not based on their level of "brokenness?" I suppose the answer is found in human nature, pride, and the desire to be superior to others. After all, growing up all the teachers told me I was bullied because the other person had issues with inferiority. (I think they just had issues plain and simple, but what do I know, right?)
The wonderful thing is, God and His Word are diametrically opposed to that school of thought! His Word tells us to esteem others better than ourselves. He tells us that He uses the weak, unwise, and unlovely to confound the strong.
The Bible says,
I am SO thankful for that truth! God wants us to glory in HIM! Not in anything else.
There is however, a frightening trend in secular science and higher education to eradicate the human race of the "undesired." Just this week I read that advances in DNA testing during pregnancy are getting closer to telling us if a baby will be disabled or suffer from disease, and even what their physical characteristics may be.
I think that is dangerous and unethical. I firmly believe in the pro-abortion world we live in, this technology will be used to "cure" diseases by aborting children who may have them. Worse yet, the idea that you could genetically engineer a child gives me chills.
Scientists call it a mutation or mistake when children are born disabled, deformed, or with some disease. They of course do not accept the fact that there is a God in Heaven who created in His image and who takes an active role in conception and birth today. They don't understand the sovereignty of a creator God who can teach, grow, help, or encourage a person impacted by or living with some "mutation, genetic disorder, or disease."
You see, it confounds the wise! They don't see that GOD can receive GLORY through those living with physical or mental impairments. It's sad that they can't know the the overwhelming feelings of joy I've experienced after being tightly hugged by a child with Down Syndrome or smiled at by a child with cerebral palsy.
They don't understand how a person like me who lives with daily pain, multiple medications, and limited mobility can have a happy, ABUNDANT, joyful life.
They don't understand what an amazing asset it is to have an elderly, bed ridden person interceding for them daily in prayer.
They can't see beauty in broken things. They are the ones with a vision problem. They are the ones who are truly impaired.
Only knowing God as Creator, Saviour, and Master will change them.
It is our impulse to run FROM the leaper. Jesus touched them, healed them, loved them.
Jesus touched blinded eyes, raised the dead, healed the deaf, cast out demons, and miracle of miracles! He reached down to the lowest depths and pulled out a wretched, filthy sinner (ME!) and set her on a solid rock, established her goings, and put a new song in her mouth.
Jesus sees all the broken, sinful, hopeless throwaways of this world and stretches out His hands saying there is hope!
He can reach the jail cell, the drug house, the hospital bed, and the homeless shelter and take broken lives and make them trophies of grace.
He can take the disabled, sick, poor, unattractive, uneducated ones too and do amazing things that leave great and wise shaking their heads in wonder!
You see my God delights in using those people for His glory!
He took a single, physically unwell, and eventually bedridden woman and used her as a missionary who rescued children from prostitution. You know her as Amy Carmichael.
He took a short, greedy man and turned him into a generous witness for Christ. You know him as Zacchaeus.
He took a man who had next to nothing and used him to smuggle Bibles all over the U.S.S.R. He is known as Brother Andrew.
He used a little girl with an incurable genetic disorder who has suffered all four years of her life to bless my heart. I just learned this week she is in hospice care and is not expected to live many more days. I also learned her baby brother is suspected to also have this disease. They've been heavy on my heart this week.
Don't try to tell me that broken things are useless and hopeless. I agree with my friend's little girl; broken things are pretty too! In fact, I think they are beautiful! They are a testimony to the praise and glory of GOD! And I believe He thinks they're beautiful too!
Maybe that's why Jesus wanted us to have the faith of a child, for sometimes they see things more clearly than we do. Her innocent logic speaks so much truth!
How often do we see someone who is disabled, or elderly, or physically unattractive and we inwardly cringe. They don't meet "our standard" of pretty or acceptable. It's almost like that element of "high school" never gets out of our system even as we age. You know, that time of life when everyone wants to be friends with the popular kids and no one wants to be friends with the overweight boy or the girl who stutters? Or how about, "I'm don't want to date them...they're ugly!" I wonder if it's humbling to them when they realize in adulthood that they secretly never moved past those thoughts?
You see, I know that some adults don't grow out of those thought patterns--because I have been the unattractive, physically impaired woman. And I know how it feels to be rudely stared at, or worse! Like when complete strangers feel they have the right to publicly question you. "What's wrong with you?" "What were you diagnosed with?" (Eventually you move past the awkwardness and embarrassment and learn that pointed, stern expressions "help" them learn manners fairly quick.)
What is it about us that makes us think we have a right to decide who is "pretty" or not based on their level of "brokenness?" I suppose the answer is found in human nature, pride, and the desire to be superior to others. After all, growing up all the teachers told me I was bullied because the other person had issues with inferiority. (I think they just had issues plain and simple, but what do I know, right?)
The wonderful thing is, God and His Word are diametrically opposed to that school of thought! His Word tells us to esteem others better than ourselves. He tells us that He uses the weak, unwise, and unlovely to confound the strong.
The Bible says,
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
I am SO thankful for that truth! God wants us to glory in HIM! Not in anything else.
There is however, a frightening trend in secular science and higher education to eradicate the human race of the "undesired." Just this week I read that advances in DNA testing during pregnancy are getting closer to telling us if a baby will be disabled or suffer from disease, and even what their physical characteristics may be.
I think that is dangerous and unethical. I firmly believe in the pro-abortion world we live in, this technology will be used to "cure" diseases by aborting children who may have them. Worse yet, the idea that you could genetically engineer a child gives me chills.
Scientists call it a mutation or mistake when children are born disabled, deformed, or with some disease. They of course do not accept the fact that there is a God in Heaven who created in His image and who takes an active role in conception and birth today. They don't understand the sovereignty of a creator God who can teach, grow, help, or encourage a person impacted by or living with some "mutation, genetic disorder, or disease."
You see, it confounds the wise! They don't see that GOD can receive GLORY through those living with physical or mental impairments. It's sad that they can't know the the overwhelming feelings of joy I've experienced after being tightly hugged by a child with Down Syndrome or smiled at by a child with cerebral palsy.
They don't understand how a person like me who lives with daily pain, multiple medications, and limited mobility can have a happy, ABUNDANT, joyful life.
They don't understand what an amazing asset it is to have an elderly, bed ridden person interceding for them daily in prayer.
They can't see beauty in broken things. They are the ones with a vision problem. They are the ones who are truly impaired.
Only knowing God as Creator, Saviour, and Master will change them.
It is our impulse to run FROM the leaper. Jesus touched them, healed them, loved them.
Jesus touched blinded eyes, raised the dead, healed the deaf, cast out demons, and miracle of miracles! He reached down to the lowest depths and pulled out a wretched, filthy sinner (ME!) and set her on a solid rock, established her goings, and put a new song in her mouth.
Jesus sees all the broken, sinful, hopeless throwaways of this world and stretches out His hands saying there is hope!
He can reach the jail cell, the drug house, the hospital bed, and the homeless shelter and take broken lives and make them trophies of grace.
He can take the disabled, sick, poor, unattractive, uneducated ones too and do amazing things that leave great and wise shaking their heads in wonder!
You see my God delights in using those people for His glory!
He took a single, physically unwell, and eventually bedridden woman and used her as a missionary who rescued children from prostitution. You know her as Amy Carmichael.
He took a short, greedy man and turned him into a generous witness for Christ. You know him as Zacchaeus.
He took a man who had next to nothing and used him to smuggle Bibles all over the U.S.S.R. He is known as Brother Andrew.
He used a little girl with an incurable genetic disorder who has suffered all four years of her life to bless my heart. I just learned this week she is in hospice care and is not expected to live many more days. I also learned her baby brother is suspected to also have this disease. They've been heavy on my heart this week.
Don't try to tell me that broken things are useless and hopeless. I agree with my friend's little girl; broken things are pretty too! In fact, I think they are beautiful! They are a testimony to the praise and glory of GOD! And I believe He thinks they're beautiful too!
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1 comment:
I appreciate this post. It really made me think about how I treat others.
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