Sandpaper

I once heard a preacher refer to people who rub us the wrong way as, “holy sandpaper”. It painted quite the word picture in my mind. Sandpaper is irritating, gritty and harsh. All adjectives that I have observed in others and in myself as well! I like LOOKING at the sandpaper, describing those things that I think are abrasive and offensive. But sandpaper is a substance that is to be used on an object to smooth out roughness. It’s my roughness that God is trying to smooth, it’s my cracks and scratches that He is sanding out of my life so that I can reflect something beautiful…His workmanship…Him!

As long as we walk around in these bodies of flesh we will have our feelings hurt, have ample opportunities for misunderstandings and the chance to be offended will exist. What we do with those opportunities is our choice. But it is so hard…isn’t it? Especially when you think you are right? There was a woman, years ago who inflicted much pain in my life by things that she said and by her actions. I remember the day the Lord revealed the depth of unforgiveness that I was harboring toward her. I think the analogy of unforgiveness being like drinking poison but hoping the other person dies from it, is correct. The poison drained from my life that day as I open-palmed the woman and my unforgiveness to the One who can redeem any person or relationship. In the last 10 months, the Lord in His sovereignty has allowed me to put hands to my forgiveness. You see, the woman was one of my grandmothers. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last summer, and since then I have had the pleasure on many days to comb her hair, put her socks on, give her medicine, cook her meals and pray with her. Thank you Grace Giver!

It is a constant perspective check isn’t it? Will I hold to my own perspective and be offended or will I ask to have the Father’s perspective? Recently I ran across a writing of Elisabeth Elliot’s on this subject, a perspective shift for sure! She writes, “Insofar as her treatment of me requires more kindness than I can find in my own heart, demands love of a quality I do not possess, asks of me patience that only the Spirit of God can produce in me, she is God’s messenger. God sends her in order that He may send me running to God for help.” That’s it isn’t it? Recognize it more quickly and run more swiftly to Him, my Source, the One who pours His perfect love into my imperfect heart.

Being Sanded,
Kim