My eyes locked on the eyes of the wind and sun-weathered face of the man holding the STOP sign. He gazed upon me while my bold and brazen, beady little eyes bored through Him. He walked to my car, waving the motorists behind me by. He bent down and smiled. I lowered the window.
“Having a tough day, Hope?”
Oh – my – God! It’s HIM! I just knew, with everything in me, it was Him. “I’m sorry, Lord. I guess I’m a little impatient with all this resurfacing going on.”
“Is there something you’d like to ask me?”
“Well, Lord…now that you mention it…could you not have just made me, in the beginning, the way you wanted me to be at the end? All these resurfacing projects are rather troublesome. It’s as if every season there’s one project after another. It seems to me if you would have – well – that is to say – you could have made me the way you wanted me to be from the beginning. Then you wouldn’t have to keep working on me and you could work on someone else – who needs it more.”
Of course you know He was smiling at the exact moment that I realized what an idiot I just sounded like and how very much I need a lesson in humility. Don’t be surprised, He’s about to give me one.
“It has to do with cost and future growth. You see Hope, in the beginning, when I made man I made him in my image, not my exact likeness, so that he could recognize the family resemblance. Because I made you, I don’t need to rebuild you. You live in a world where people are tearing up the roads of life; the seasons take their toll. In my great love for you, I come around and resurface – smooth out the rough edges and level what has caused the surface to buckle. I want to pave the way for you, Hope. I’m for you not against you. I’m here to help, not hinder you. The foundation you were built upon is solid and very dear. Yes – I’m preparing you – clearing a path, so to speak. I could have saved myself all the time and effort, all the tears and heartache, but you’re worth it and I enjoy the time we spend – these moments when you have no choice but to stop and talk to me, and listen to me. Do you understand?”
I felt as if I was choking – on my tears, the words that wouldn’t come out, but most of all my pride – my stupid, stupid pride.
He reached His dusty hand inside the car and brushed the tear from my cheek then motioned for me to move on. When I got home, I rushed to the bathroom; I stared at my dirt and tear-stained face – a face that was touched by the hand of God.
Aren’t you thankful that He loves you just the way you are, but that He loves you enough not to leave you as you are?
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27.
