From a few years ago but still a good reminder…
Today I am walking along the beach, gazing at the beauty of the landscape around me. As I look at the ocean, I see the magnificent power it has. Listening to what sounds like thunder as the waves roll toward the beach. The sound is so powerful, I can sit here for hours watching this.
I am always fascinated by the pelicans as they fly scanning the water and then dive to snatch up their catch. The sandpipers always running along the coast and as the tide rolls in their little feet move so fast running away from the water.
This area of the beach is secluded, for residents only so there are thousands of shells beneath my feet. I begin scanning looking for the largest seashells to collect. My eyes looking for the most perfect, flawless shell. The hurricane has washed up millions of shells but I realized most were broken. There were many that was intact and whole but I passed them up looking for others with more beauty and color. I finally settled on a few, they had holes in them, the ends broken off and I wish they were in their former glory, whole and preserved.
My mind thinks of my granddaughter Jayde. If she was here, she would have several buckets picking up broken shells and picking a variety of colors as she always does when visiting the beach. Just because the shells were broken to her it wouldn’t diminish the value or beauty she sees.
So many times we look for perfection in the mirror or we look for that perfection in other people or things. God’s heart is like that child who gazes upon a beach full of seashells. He runs with enthusiasm to gather each shell, though many are scattered and broken, his desire is to gently pick us up and love us through our imperfections and accept us. He never rejects us or tosses us aside. God himself offered his body to be broken, so that through Him we can be made whole. I am perfect, because of Jesus who lives in me.
I remember yesterday when I was going Facebook live, I said Barry, be careful don’t step on the shells and break them. My concern was causing harm or breaking the shells that were beneath our feet. If only we would carry this into our everyday walk? How many people have we hurt carelessly by our words and actions? We need to guard ourselves so that we aren’t the ones causing hurt to another person.
God has surrounded us with His beauty and there are lessons in everything we see. My daily walks are times of reflection and insight. I always start my walks asking God to speak to me and reveal his word to me and He is always faithful. “everything He does reveals His Glory and Majesty.” My prayer is that I see the value in each person I meet and see. My love for others is a powerful tool.