The Beach

I’ve been thinking a lot about the beach this week. More specifically, the many grains of sand. (Ahem, dirt.)

Each grain their own, sometimes varying in hues and texture, and some of them you can see right through. Individually, so small, one may not even notice.

Yet people flock to see, to rest in, to find comfort, and even heal, in the presence of the shore.

In contrast, what are we but flesh and bone? Blood and matter. Heck made from the dirt ourselves (Gen 2:7). And what do we often see when we look at ourselves? Just that, dirt. -Or perhaps something that doesn't amount to much more than that.

Sometimes we even trip over the smallest parts of who we are; like that goofy thing we do, the thing your family teases you about, the skill that you just can’t seem to master, the feeling of plainness, or complete awkwardness. Being different.

Other times, we completely fixate on the weakness or the dirt; like the addiction, a mishap at work, like a poorly executed project, a conversation gone wrong, a wound, and on and on...

Michelle Chalfant said ‘If we are human we have issues, stop thinking you can avoid them.”

Actually, we all have many issues. Great and small. Varying hues. Dirt on many levels. In the physical, like our bones, and in our soul.

Yet the beach doesn’t cover up who or what it is and nor should you.

And just like the shore, God sees the whole picture. Every.little.grain.of.sand.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Grace must be the equivalent of knowing exactly what we are. Not just knowing THE ONE thing. But knowing EVERY LITTLE thing about each of us and somehow collectively forming all of those details and idiosyncrasies into something that he calls good (Gen 1:26), and valuable (Matt 10:31), and takes delight in- even singing over (Zeph 3:17).

Yet you and I still try to work dirt out of something- THAT WE’RE MADE OF.

It is not in our ‘trying harder’ to be ‘better’ or ‘different’ that pleases God. It is in our sincerest, seemingly ‘humiliating’ but instead humbling weakness- laying ourselves bare before him. Stretched out like the shore. Sometimes piled up like dunes. Not condemning or making excuses for who or what we are, not bartering because we can’t really make it up; not hiding beneath the waves of life but offering our entirety, especially our weakness, and ALL of it, to him. So that he may use it as He pleases.

And the way that He holds all things together (Col 1:17), allows his power to work through us. He takes those ‘grains’ or ‘specs’ and somehow molds them- transfiguring us -perfectly- into something beautiful.

The next time you start to beat yourself up for something or talk down about yourself, I pray a little salty air washes over you and reminds you that you’re only getting caught on one grain, you’re missing the rest of the beach. Then slip off your stuffy ole uniform, let your bare feet feel the ground (literally), take a deep breath, and relax. –We’re all a little more pliable that way, anyway.

Be shore of it!

(I just couldn’t resist that last one….) Have a blessed day.