He slipped back in the house yesterday morning to show me something. His forgetfulness.
Carelessly and without thought, he picked up his “pretty case” instead of his briefcase as he headed out the door for work. We had a good laugh, and then I had him re-enact his folly for my camera. Some pictures are worth the ink. This was one of them, and it got me to thinking.
Thinking about his caddy full of pretty…
Shaving cream. Razors. Mouthwash. Toothpaste. Lotion. Comb. Floss. Deodorant. Matrix Biolage hair gel. Yes, even my husband carries some “product” for his pretty.
Thinking about what he left behind—the one thing that normally accompanies him to the church office…
His Bible.
Somehow in his process of readying himself for the day, he reached for the ordinary to the exclusion of the extraordinary, and quite frankly, he felt exposed. Naked. Something not quite right as he stood at the edge of new day to embark upon the calling that has claimed his life.
A calling that values “heart product” over “pretty product.”
And a heart can never be prettied by creams and combs. It requires a deeper work…a stronger “product.” The cleansing work of the cross.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been given a rare privilege. We have been designated as the dwelling place of our Father. How precious is this Treasure. How fragile its frame. God designed us to be exactly so…as dusty earthen vessels, the contents of which contain more pretty than the world can fully absorb at first glance.
He is what makes us pretty. Not our outward attempts at fortifying the frame. He applauds and even celebrates our efforts at presentation, but when the day is over and the “pretty” has run its course, he ponders the condition of the heart that remains. The heart that contains his heart. The heart that will follow us into our tomorrow and into the day after that and into all of our days yet to come.
After awhile, our pretty wears thin and no amount of “product” can cover up the heart that lies beneath. We can try to conceal its pulse, but eventually our fragile clay begins to crumble to reveal the contents within. What pours forth…Who pours forth…is revealed by the light, and we stand as naked. Before God and before man. Exposed.
An untouched photograph that discloses our truth.
And the truth that God values more than our outward “pretty” is the inward product called grace. It is the one boasting allowed our mirrors. The one treasure allowed our fragile frames. The one Gospel allowed our lips. It is the only “heart product” that never wears thin and keeps its beauty long after the lights have dimmed and the world has gone home to find its rest.
Jesus is our “pretty” and Calvary’s accomplishing work is our calling. We are given the privilege of hosting its grace…every day. Within our clay parameters that were not meant for the applause of man, but, instead, meant for the breaking of a revealed radiance and a surpassing power that was never designed for containment. A carried treasure that, sometimes, is forgotten and covered up by our attempts at “pretty.”
I don’t about you, but I think that this has been a picture worthy of some ink…worthy of some words, and worthy of some further pondering as we prepare our hearts for exposure. God, alone, is worthy of a heart’s review. Man’s opinion is always flawed and often fatal. In the end, God’s opinion is always perfect and stands as final. And final sounds perfect to me, so this day I cast my heart before its Maker, and I ask him to make it–to make me–pretty.
Not for man, but for him. And so I pray…
Heal my heart, Lord, and make it pretty for you. Cleanse me from within, so that the radiance of your grace shines forth from the mirror of this face. Forgive my attempts at cover-up, and eliminate my desire for the same. I want to be a true portrait of your Gospel, and so I ask for you to cover me with the truth of Calvary’s gift. Let my beauty be birthed because of the cross. Not as I stand in front of the cross, but a beauty that finds its depth beneath and behind the cleansing blood of your surrender. You gave your Son to death’s embrace to make me pretty. Thank you for allowing such sacred beauty to be house within my clay. Humbly and with holy trembling, I carry my portion. Amen.
I never tire of reading and rereading your posts. Thank you for sharing your heart!
Blessings!
Liz
Elaine, this was just beautiful. A great comparison between our outer and inner beauty. Sometimes I think WE forget that we are just dust and use most of our energy working on the outer clay temple and not on the most important thing which is our inner man. But God remembers…”For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” and He reminds us from time to time just as He did for you and you in turn did for us today!
God bless you…
Marilyn
Elaine, this is the second post I’ve read today about man looking at the outward appearance, but God looking at our heart…what can be the “pretty within us” with Christ, if you will. I don’t want to be a “cover girl”, but allow God to do a complete makeover in my life…an “Extreme Home Makeover”…because after all, my heart is His home.
I read somewhere that “it’s the holy presence of Almighty God that gives true beauty to any dwelling place.” God’s Word tells us we are the temple of the living God.
It’s been said that people are like stained glass windows. They are most beautiful when viewed through the darkness – with a bright light shining within.
May the beauty of Jesus be seen in me today.
Joy
“Somehow in his process of readying himself for the day, he reached for the ordinary to the exclusion of the extraordinary …”
That “somehow” strikes so close to home! It’s the same somehow that distracts me with laundry when sitting to watch golf with my hubby would be the more extraordinary use of my time (and I do mean extraordinary given my total disinterest in golf). The very same somehow that catches me up in mindless musings when taking every thought captive to Christ is the more extraordinary discipline. “Somehow” is, in reality a thief to my heart at times.
You’ve captured some truly beautiful thoughts here, Elaine. Glad I stopped for a breather.
Sas
Thanks Elaine, What a great reminder. I praise God for my “pretty” through Christ. At the end of the day… it is all that matters.
LynnSC
How really funny is this. Wish I were there for the laughter with this one. Your comparison with inner and outer beauty is awesome. You always share your heart and that is just one more thing that makes you beautiful “inside” and “out”.
This was such a timely post! I have felt so “scatter brained” recently and am constantly “forgetting” the needed and necessary!
Your comment on my LWG post was a blessing. I have had my own dealings with a stony heart in years past. It is very uncomfortable to carry. You are such a blessing Elaine!
wifeforthejourney:
How easily do we allow our time to be consumed by our routines, to the exclusion of what matters most? When I looked down and saw what I had in my hand, I had to come back inside and confess. One thing everyone out there in cyberspace should know about life with Elaine is that I can always depend on her to laugh with me, and at me sometimes too!
Even though we live in the same house and we’ve been together for going on 11 years now, Elaine is still one of God’s favorite ways of reaching me. She is my own personal messenger of grace – another lesson in humility, served with a smile! I love you honey,
~ Billy