Beauty in the breakdown
It’s easy to see the beauty of a sunset or a smiling baby or snow-capped mountain. If someone placed a perfect pearl in your hand, you wouldn’t have to be an expert gemologist to recognize that you were holding something beautiful. You would recognize its beauty.
But sometimes beauty comes in difficult packaging. Sometimes we recognize it not by how it pleases our senses, but how it affects our hearts and souls.
Tonight I saw something beautiful. I saw someone ask for forgiveness and offer blessing. It was hard for her to do. She was nervous. It was humbling; it cost her something. But she had a bigger vision of what it could mean to live free of all bitterness and so she took a risk. It was breathtaking. Equally breathtaking was the graciousness of those who extended the forgiveness for which she asked…and then asked for forgiveness themselves.
So much pain in the eyes of those in that circle. And yet, it was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful. It was like watching someone who has been fiercely clutching a chunk of ragged broken glass finally open their hand to drop it…and seeing the wound begin to heal before my very eyes.
Kingdom life is messy. But moments like these are a pearl in my hand. The fact that the pearl came from a muddy, gritty, slimy oyster shell doesn’t devalue the pearl. It’s where all pearls come from.
“You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust;
You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of us…” -Gungor
Beautifully said Lisa. Thanks.
I can only imagine how breathtakingly beautiful it must have been when I read your description for the description alone takes my breath away… Kellie
I think the beautiful part is the sacrifice on of their parts to let go of bitterness and pride. That is not an easy thing to do.
Your illustration is perfect.