Tangled

I love analogies.  I find that they really help me understand and remember things in a simple way.  As God continues to develop and soften this daughter's heart into one of deeper compassion for the hurting of others, He often uses routine circumstances of life to share a new analogy with me.  Yesterday was another example, and this time, God used Christmas lights. 

I love Christmas and how my little house looks decorated. Typically you would find my house "dolled up" the weekend following Thanksgiving but not so this year.  I've started in several times only to put is aside, leaving a work in progress and feeling behind schedule -albeit a schedule that is self-imposed. 

So yesterday was the day to get 'er done, as it were.  Last weekend, I had opened my box of tree lights and when I plugged them in, they did not work.  They are not your typical tree lights - they are multi-faceted, fragile and oh so beautiful when lit.  I've had them for years and usually try to be careful (patient) when putting them away each year so they work the following one.

For whatever reason this year, they did not light.  I spent all of about 5 minutes trying to figure out how to fix this little issue but then in frustration (seeing a trend?  Yep - God is also working on my need for increased patience) I put the lid back on the box and set them aside.  I decided they were too much work and I would just go buy new ones.  It would be much easier, my problem would be solved, my tree would get done and my frustration avoided.  Justified, right?  Hmm.

When I went to the store, however, I felt convicted.  The money I would spend on new lights could so benefit others truly in need of what I take for granted every day.  So the new lights go back on the shelf and I (reluctantly) resolve to fix and use the old ones.  Sigh.

So yesterday was the day.  I committed to sitting down with my light strings and slowly working through them to figure out the issue.  What I had not realized when I took them out before was how tangled up they were.  It appears that last year, I was not as careful (patient) as I usually try to be so the strings were a jumbled mess, some of the bulbs were broken and there would be even more effort to work through them to see if they could be recovered and restored to their intended beauty. 

I set to work, still fighting the urge to cast them back into the box and not have lights at all, they didn't really matter anyway, right?  But I feel compelled to keep going and then, my loving Lord shares the analogy. 

Often times, people are like these strings of Christmas lights.  They are terribly tangled up, broken in places that are hard to see right away and require a great deal of gentle patience to bring about their true beauty.  The string immediately lights!  Oh yes it did - wow!  Do I know some people that this would describe?  I sure do!  But the person who this would best describe is me.  

My relationship with Christ has been so healing, incredibly life-changing.  He has brought me so far and my journey to newness continues every day.  But when I first turned over the box of my wrecked life to Him, I know the tangled mess He encountered was far worse than what I found with my strings of lights.  

Did he have the urge to put the lid back on the box?  No, He didn't.  Did He delay setting to work?  Nope.  Did He choose to look for someone who would be less work, deliver faster results?  After all, who could blame Him.  No way.  Instead, He began the work that only He can truly do, focused on the true beauty that was in the original design and intended to be used for His kingdom.  

Of course He did and guess what, He wants to do this for all (oh yes, even you).  I am lead to this scripture from 1 Timothy 1:16-19 (NIV):
"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.”

Thank you and amen indeed my dear Lord Jesus, thank you and amen!