We saw a lovely wall of roses this afternoon. Yet as we drew near enough to see individual roses it became apparent that each rose by itself wasn’t that good looking. Each had been beaten by the weather and chewed on by whatever eats roses. They looked better from afar when they were part of an array of thousands of roses. How like people. Most of us look better from afar. When we get well acquainted with people we soon see their physical, personality and characterflaws. Alas, familiarity often does breed contempt. The lesson is if you want to keep admiring someone, keep them at arm’s length. Don’t get too close. Televisions are like that. If you get too close you see the pixels instead of a smooth picture. I just got up and went and checked to see if that is also the case with high definition television and it is still true.
There is only one person in history we can thoroughly check and not find flaws, that is Jesus. The worse thing his enemies could say was “This man eats with sinners.” He touched lepers. He befriended Roman soldiers and harlots. If “birds of a feather” was always true we could write Him off. But wait just a minute Jesus wants also to be friends with you and me. Forget the soldiers and harlots. Being with us would be bad enough. Somehow He doesn’t mind. He loves us as we are.
How grand!
Written by Roger Bothwell on June 18, 2012
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org