Monday, September 24, 2012

The Hypocrisy of Paint





So I started to put some fresh paint on the old truck.  This time-worn work horse has a lot of road scars from bad driver decisions and unsecured loads.  Yet with all her historic bruises, welts, and scars this truck is going back into service, not some museum.  The saving grace of fresh paint; the rust is gone.  The dents are still visible but they are covered.  The new life and color are great from a distance, but when standing close the imperfections can still be seen under the fresh paint.  As a matter of fact, somehow, the renewed coat has magnified the scars of her old life.  I wondered as I worked on the old truck, “is she a hypocrite for wearing a new coat when she is just and old truck?  Is it right for her to make a fresh start and go back into full truck service for her owner and maker?  Who does she think she is?  Those who knew her in another life might simply call her a hypocrite.  There she is, pretending to be all new when we can still see her old dents and scars!”  We remember who she used to be!  The truth is that while some may criticize her attempts at the new life, in the end the one who loves her will be her judge.  You might say she is not perfect, just forgiven!      

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Ps 32:1   NIV

3 comments:

  1. Nice, Karl. "...in the end the one who loves her will be her judge..." dents, scars and all. Because its not the outward wear and tear that matters--the evidence of the poor choices and wrong turns and bad judgement. Is there an old truck out there without them? No, its whats inside, in the heart; its what the old truck does with the dents and scars that matters to the one who loves and judges.

    No matter than the heart might be a Ford.... :)

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  2. Karl, how is the truck going? Speaking for myself; I look forward to learn from the lessons that old truck is teaching you. Our God is gracious to take what we have in our hands and teach us about love, patience, life, grace, relationships, and ultimately about his purposes. I say life is too short not too work on an old truck, fish a new lake, travel to a new place, have a new Harley, build a new relationships, or renew old acquaintances. That's the fun, the joy of living, as we learn from living for him each day.

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  3. I have not written lately because of the ministry challenges but I try to do something to the old truck every week. Some weeks it is not much but if I do something every week eventually the truck will be road worthy again. I have the front and rear windows in, the gauges have been mounted, replaced the old vacuum wiper system with a 12 volt system, the seat has been installed, and I am working on the doors today. I have found that the progress will reveal itself as long as I am faithful to the work! May the Lord find us all faithful when he returns.

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