“Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?” (Job 22:3).
Well, I think I’ve been offended. No, I’m pretty sure I have been. I think what was meant as kind words were unscrambled and re-arranged between their mouth and my ears.
I was told yesterday, by someone who had not seen me in at least fifteen years, that I’d not changed a bit. Uggh!
First, there’s the issue of the additional poundage I now carry on my frame. Maintaining the contours and look of an early twenty-something gal has not been top priority in my life. The closet shows that to be a fact.
Second, there’s the matter of my hair. I’ve had at least, and I say at least, 50 different hairstyles since that time. The last time this person saw me was during the days of big hair, and I certainly had that then, but now…the shorter the better in my book.
Third, and I’ll give them this one, but it still hurt…I’m not the same person. All those years ago I was a Christian. Let me restate that. I was a saved, born-again, child of God—but living it, giving it, loving it was not my main focus. Times have certainly changed, and my walk with the Lord is one of the areas that have experienced the greatest remodeling. Who I was is a drastic change from who I am now. My heart’s been reset. My plans have been handed over to Him; my life is not longer my own. My purpose is to live abundantly for Him and affect all I can in the process. My lack of perfection has created a clean canvas for His glory, grace and love to paint a masterpiece.
The things I’ve done wrong. The words I’ve misspoke. The sins I’ve committed and gained forgiveness for. The apologies I’ve had to make. The paths I’ve wrongly taken. The mistakes I’ve repeated and repeated and repeated, well they’ve made me who I am today. I like to think I’ve grown into a poster child for what He can do for a willing candidate.
Maybe that doesn’t show so much on the outside as I feel it on the inside. Quite possibly our chance meeting didn’t allow this person (or me) time to expose that part of my life—or did it? I cringe to think they still see me as who I was.
A lot of folks would consider it complimentary being told they’d not changed in that length of time. Not me! God’s put too much hard work, sweat and tears into the me He’s making over.
Malinda Edgell
Illinois
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the leadership of your WAC or church women’s group.
