Not long ago in a far off distance sat a lonely bench beckoning to me to take a long loving look to see beyond what was sitting there. For what reason or reasons does this image in the photograph call to me beyond just the physical elements it possesses? Is it in the dichotomy of the stark contrast between worn and torn, and a place that also supports hope and life? The dictionary defines "bench" as a place of rest, a place of support, place for justice. Might these definitions and this image remind us of the opportunity for God to break through to our imperfections, as well as, lead us to a life where hope, beauty, and growth abound. Does not our humanness seek a place of rest, support, and possibilities of justice? I work hard to patch the holes of my heart to conceal any imperfections, (unlike the bench) broken pieces,or sharp edges only to find a flood of surprising richness and beauty that lies within. Sure, we can sand and paint over the roughness of our lives, but what if we don't? What if we allow the imperfections and broken bits to show; what if we accept them, even peer into them to see ourselves as a place to hold life and beauty as well as our imperfectness? And if I stand before you exposed (as the bench does) allowing my weakness and broken bits to show both in my mirror and your eyes, could it be that both of our lives might be enriched? And by the grace of God the beauty in the glowing moment of bloom, we will clearly see the soft colors that promise us hope and life that so richly is the contrast to the "unsanded" parts of our being. Could it also be that we will reach a place in which the stark, rough, sharp bits of us are turned into a radiant, loving light filled with beauty beyond our imaginations, and our imperfections will truly be a thing of beauty?
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