Sonshine

A few months ago the ground had a pretty layer of snow covering it, preserved by the cold temperatures. Then it started to get warmer. And as the sun shone on the freezing ground, the snow started to melt. Exposing the ugly, lifeless brown grass. To be honest the snow looked prettier than the grass. You could almost sense how shameful the dead grass felt. Longing to be covered; disgusted that you could see what the ground really looked like under the pristine mask provided by the snow. 

It hurt to see the ground so weak and dead. 

The earth around my apartment was unseemly, I would sometimes tell the grass how ugly it looked, because I'm a jerk. I did this pretty often for a couple of months until recently when I noticed that the grass was not as ugly as it use to be. The grass was starting to get a little greener. 

Upon reflecting on the way I handled the grass situation, I was confronted with the reality that the grass didn't want to be exposed from under the snow because it knew that people would be mean to it and cut it down. I was cutting the grass down with my insults thinking my words would help it grow. 

Despite my insults the grass was trying to drown me out and focus on absorbing the sun. The only thing the grass needed was nutrition from the sun and encouragement from the soil. It haunts me to know that I may have hindered the grass from regaining its strength and color because of my careless words. Only because the grass was exposed, and the dead patches were made visible could the sun restore it to an even greater glory than the mask of snow could provide.

redeemyourlawn.com/how-to-take-care-of-your-lawn/

The grass outside my apartment got me thinking about how I sometimes try to cover myself up to hide my weaknesses. The truth is I don't want others to see my mistakes and think differently of me. But I know that only when I let down my walls and take off my mask can the Son really change me. 

The Son of God who died on the cross so that we didn't have to be bound by my shame anymore. He died for us to be free. If we allow the Son to shine on us, only then can we be released from our captivity and insecurity. 

“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.  This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
  rise from the dead,
  and Christ will shine on you.”- Ephesians 5:13-14