Image and Yarn
This morning as I was meditating on God’s measurement for rewards. Two verses that I read were 1 Sam 16, where God tells Samuel that He looks at man’s heart, and the Widow’s mite, Mark 12.41-44.
“God doesn’t look so much at how much we do, but what we do with what we’ve got“. A friend wrote that as she was going over this as well. As I read this, a picture of a ball of yarn popped into my head.
I started thinking about how it’s obnoxious when a ball/roll of yarn gets unraveled, then you have to roll it back up. It is a mess, not so pretty like it’s original state. And the whisper of God said, “it’s still yarn. It still serves its purpose.” And I thought, “No… well, it’s a mess, it was perfect when it was first rolled up.”
I started making the connection because this morning I realized how much self-condemnation I live in. I especially look at how I spend my time. If I spent it more wisely, I would be more godly, if I am more godly, I am getting changed. But self-condemnation comes when I strive for more of me working then God working in me. How much of our “working things out” is for personal gain and how much is for being transformed into His image? I can’t gauge it for others, but I know that some of my motivations are for personal gain and not for Jesus. I am probably more hard on myself than I should be. But there is good news.
He then said, “Leah, you are still created in my image, you are still lovely to Me, and I can still use you.”
I broke down, and thought about how short our time is. How a flower is only enjoyed for a moment in a day and then it dies. Isaiah 40 says we are like grass fading away. But it is still enjoyable for a moment.
Prophetically, when He gives us pictures, He is using a language that is familiar to us to convey His heart and encourage us. I will be an unraveled ball of yarn for a while, but I am grateful that I will never lose my function as an image-barer of Christ.
