Among the many places I “spied” God this week, the most vivid in my mind came in the form of picture my sister sent me of my niece.
Every person I’ve shown this too has responded with a statement sounding something like, “Awwwww! She’s so cute.” While I agree (and had the same reaction), I had to stop myself and think about what I was saying… this beautiful little girl was marked with ashes… This beautiful little girl is marked with sin. There’s nothing cute about that.
In fact it breaks my heart a little because I realized in that moment that she would be hurt in this world, and she will hurt others. She will find herself broken and confused, full of fear, seeking the approval of others. She’ll be told by the world that she’s not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not … enough.
We. live. in. sin.
And there’s nothing cute about it.
But, as I reflected more on this over the last few days, I was reminded of the hope we have.
HOPE.
I saw it in the shape the ashes form… a shape that reminds that there will be an end to this broken world.
I recall it as I remember the day back in May on which I held my beautiful niece in my arms as she was washed clean and welcomed into God’s Family through baptism.
I pray for it as I see pictures of beautiful Karlie all over my house.
And I rest in it myself as I remember that when God looks down at me, even with all my marks of sin, he doesn’t say things like “Look at that disgusting, dirty kid.”
No, he sees me perfect through the cross and says,
“Awwwwwww! She’s so beautiful!”
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