Six students sit around a table, all learning at their own pace. Their eyes are fixed on sheets of paper set before them while their teacher watches, listens, and speaks. The students are studying a new language in the hopes that it will help them obtain a bright future. They carefully write on the paper, articulating consonants and vowels. One of them uses a ruler to keep his lines as perfect as possible. Some copy the writing precisely, but don’t really understand the word they’ve written. The teacher coaches the students to shape their mouths differently when they speak- they’ve only known one way since their childhood. She teaches them the importance of knowing the difference between yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What they’ve done, are doing, and will do. These creations of God have been told their whole lives they must be perfect- and so they try. And they fail. Their mistakes are stained on the paper, written in pen with no way to go back. White out is applied to the paper, but all it can do is cover the ink. Its message is obvious: something went wrong here. This work is flawed. Scarred. But the teacher is kind and full of grace, despite her students’ disappointment. Her gentle smile and warm eyes reflect her love for them. She knows they aren’t perfect. There is more paper, more opportunities to grow, and more grace than they know. They’re learning more than they realize. They are learning how to live a completely different life. They are learning that their value doesn’t come from their bodies or what they do. They are learning what it means to be loved. They are learning that there’s a God who sacrificed everything for their sake, so that they can be free.
7.9 billion people dwell in the world, all living at their own pace. Their eyes are fixed on a temporary life set before them while God watches, listens, and speaks. The people seek their desires in the hopes that it will help them obtain a bright future. They recklessly pursue a life they’ve planned, articulating opinions and feelings. Some use God’s law to keep their life as “perfect” as possible. They follow it precisely, but don’t understand Who they’re following. They don’t know how to shape their hearts differently- they’ve only known one way since their childhood. Their yesterday is broken, their today is unfulfilled, and their tomorrow is unknown. What have they done? What are they doing? What will they do? These creations of God have been told their whole lives they must be perfect- and so they try. And they fail. Their mistakes are stained on their lives, written in sin with seemingly no way to go back. White out could not possibly cover their brokenness. These works are flawed. Scarred. But God is kind and full of grace, despite His creation’s rebellion. His sacrifice and forgiveness reflect His love for us. He knows we aren’t perfect. There is more life, more opportunities to grow, and more grace than we know. We are loved more than we realize. This is a love that transforms our lives. This is an undeserved love that can’t be earned. This is a love that reaches us uniquely. This is a love that will sacrifice everything so that we can be reunited with our Father. This is His love.