Spit Shine

Today marks the end of an era. I bought a new watch.

For those of you who are not familiar with my bond with my late timepiece, I will share the history of that watch.

I received it as my first "real" (analog) watch when I was in the 6th grade. It has been on my wrist almost every moment since that day. That is why I have such a tan-line on my wrist. It suffered dents and cracks for almost 9 years. Today it took its last hit from a basketball before it finally gave up.

I started thinking about that watch.

How quickly do we throw things away when they no longer look "good"?

It had been years since that watch looked good.

But it still ticked.

It still stayed on my wrist.

It still worked.

We so easily forget that things continue to serve their purpose long after aesthetics have faded. We figure that if something doesn't look pristine then it isn't working the way it's supposed to work.

We treat ourselves the same way.

We try to keep ourselves looking nice and put-together so that we appear to be doing everything right. We cover up our flaws to give the appearance of perfect actions. We spit-shine our souls.

But spit-shine still depends on spit.

Whatever we do, we're going to get dirty. We're going to get battered. We're going to be broken.

But God still works.

Where we are filthy, he shines. Where we are cracked, he makes whole. Where we fall apart, he remains the same.

Do not let the bruises and cuts of this life fool you into thinking you are useless. Let God show you that your scars make you something more.

When we are at our most broken, he shows just how whole we can be.