I took this picture not long ago and call it, ‘The Door’!
Notice the crooked angles, gaping holes, the broken and
splintered planks and the shadows that are cast along the deep worn lines of weather and
time. And then look at the large red handles that are there to open these awkward and very heavy doors up.
For me, this picture is the perfect metaphor of our lives. Like the marks on this door,
our lives reflect the many details that tell the story of who we are. And like
every story, we have our own personal mysteries and scars, our broken places with gouging splinters and gaping holes and those shadows that are cast across it. They hang on the
surface for all to see, just like this door, but the most important part of this picture to me isn't what is
seen, but what is not. Just as it is in real life God, who is always there, sees everything... not
only what’s on the surface, but what lies behind the doors. He knows how every
crooked angle came into existence, how each gaping hole was formed, how every broken place with all its splinters exploded on the scene... He knows every shadow and time-worn line... yes, He sees it all! He knows each hurt and every wound that has occurred in our lives that created the scabs that formed, which I call, the
doorway of our soul. And it’s His hands alone that placed those handles there so those extremely
heavy doors can eventually be opened.
So think about this with me for just a moment as you look at the picture of that door
and consider this… “How precious it is when someone we know allows us deep inside their life, past all the scars and brokenness and into their wounded heart?” Then ask yourself this, how
often have you taken that rare privilege for granted and, while you were in that
sacred place, selfishly thought only of yourself and your wants and needs, and not of them? And instead of bringing
healing and the gift of love, you added more damage and scars to door itself?
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13 that, “Love cares more
about others that it does about itself!” That being the case, look hard at those doors… you see, it’s not just
someone else’s doors you're looking at, but your own. With that in mind, don’t you think it’s time that you "do
unto others as you yourself would have it done unto you"? Love heals a multitude of wounds as it covers a myriad of offenses. Let me leave you with this thought... love as much and as hard as you yourself want to be loved.
Life in pictures brings meaning to life!
© 2014 Steven Bliss
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Thanks! SB
Powerful stuff, man!
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