Last week I was able to indulge in some relaxed and peaceful time at the lake. The erratic and unpredictable spring weather in the Mid-south delivered 3 rainless comfortable days. The fish were biting and the mosquitoes were not. As we celebrated my dad’s 70th birthday, the echoes of his grandchildren’s laughter carried across the glassy water. The purple martins contributed their song to all the laughter while the adults relaxed in the back and forth sway of their rocking chairs.
With all this beauty and perfect harmony surrounding me, I was on edge. It was springtime in the Mid-south in the country and therefore, I knew there were snakes nearby. If anyone had trained their eyes on me, they would have watched me scan the lake, tilt my head up to the trees and gingerly and cautiously take every step with trepidation. I am terrified of snakes. It is not a prejudicial fear. I’m scared of nonpoisonous as well as venomous snakes. Green, black, brown, patterned, fanged, small or large, it doesn’t matter. They threaten my peace and permeate my dreams when I am at the lake. As alert as I was to establishing their presence last week, I never saw even one. I really enjoyed my brief lake escape last week, but I know I would have noticed more beauty, laughed more deeply and slept more soundly if I didn’t pepper every element with my persistent snake searching.
Our attitudes, actions and demeanor are molded by perspective.
When I was a little girl, I remember reading a story about 2 sisters who decided to go outside and pick some flowers for their mom. After an hour or so of flower hunting, one sister gave up because she couldn’t find any flowers, but the second sister returned home with an armful of dandelions, clover and Queen Anne’s lace. Her bouquet was as big and beautiful as the smile on her face. The moral of the story was that in life, you will miss out on so much beauty if you look at everything with a “weed filter”.
I am guilty of wearing weed-colored glasses. I am quick to recognize what is flawed. I search for flaws with the intent to correct and perfect. I wallow in regret over sins and even beg for directive words of correction. I have a quick eye for dust in my home, and a quick ear for poor grammar from my kids. I’m prompt to pluck a stray eyebrow or grey hair and any weed in my yard is terminated and trashed at first sight. I am slower to celebrate and notice the bouquets of beauty all around me.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
Along with the church in Colossae, I need admonishment through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. There is an exquisite richness that fills our soul and restores our vision when our eyes are focused on the beauty of Jesus. The psalms teach and train us to prioritize praise. They help us be the worshipers we were created to be. The God of mercy and grace has given us new hearts that no longer carry the shame of sin and ugliness. Because of His grace, we are set free to rejoice and sing. We are released from the chains of self-criminalization, internal weed whacking and the anxiety laced perusal of a perilous environment. We are safe and secure in the embrace of our savior. We are deemed worthy and clean and delightful.
Today we have been given the glorious reminder to spend some time in the psalms. We get to fix our focus and encourage each other with hymns and spiritual songs. Be encouraged. If you are wearing weed-colored glasses, take them off. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of Him who called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.” ! Peter 2 :9 (ESV)
“Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.”
“Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance now and always:
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.”
Eleanor Hull 1905