The other night Scott and I attended a Christmas party where we had to take a white elephant gift. I love these because it is fun to wrap the gift to the prettiest I can get it. I spent lots of time getting the perfect paper and wrapping it beautifully and topping it with a huge toule bow on top (and yes, there may have been glitter involved). You see, the goal is to make the gift as pretty as possible to cover up what's on the inside-usually some version of a tacky gift-and to woo others to pick the pretty gift, in hopes that they will unveil the gift in all its outer beauty to the monstrosity within.
How often do we judge something or someone based on what's the outside? Or make ourselves appear beautiful on the outside while doing very little to take care of what's on the inside? I am reading The Greatest Gift, a Christmas devotional by Ann Voskamp. A portion I read today spoke to me, and since her words are much more eloquent than mine, I will share portions of it below:
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
"It's strange how it affects us-from housekeeping to soul-keeping: if it's mostly the surfaces that absorb us, then we're mostly superficial. When my priorities aren't the things seen-when my priorities are rather all things unseen-it's only then that my life begins toy ave substance and weight."
"Your God never stops turning things inside out, seeking all things unseen, reversing the ways of the world. God never stops looking on the heart. God never stops looking for the world's second, the unseen unimportant, and calls them the important firsts. Which means He raises Abel instead of Cain, Jacbo instead of Esau, Isaac instead of Ishmael, Moses instead of Aaron, David instead of Eliab."
"Which means he raises the unseen and forgotten: Sarah instead of Hagar, Leah instead of Rachel, Tamar, Hannah, Ruth, Rahab."
"Which means that long after the unseen and forgotten son of Jesse was anointed king in Bethlehem, there was another unseen and unimportant One born in Bethlehem-One who was left out with the sheep because no one made room for Him either."
"He who was the most beautiful One became the most ugly...that our ugly hearts might become beautiful in the eyes of God. Who knows of another love story like this?"
So, there you have it. God loves you as you are-we are beautiful in His eyes and that's all that matters. To put it metaphorically, he takes the gifts that have the worst gift-wrapping job and opens it to something beautiful. And that's what makes this season the most wonderful time of the year.
Until next time be blessed.....
