I had a rather interesting exchange with my lovely wife this morning.
We were in the bathroom, both getting ready for work, when I noticed a new box of facial tissues* on the counter.
“Oh! Thank you for putting out a new box of facial tissues*,” I said aloud.
She looked at me out of the corner or her eye and said, “Have you been avoiding taking that last facial tissue* out of the box so you wouldn’t have to put out a new box?
And then she looked me straight in the eye.
I looked away and said, “n… maybe.”
“Uh – huh.”
Several minutes later, while ironing my shirt, I said, “You know, the only reason I got in trouble there was because I was being nice to you for putting out a new box of facial tissues*.”
“No,” she said without hesitation, “you got in trouble because you’re lazy.”
“Yanno, this glass head thing kinda has it’s drawbacks,” I said.
And it’s true.
When it comes to my wife, she can see right inside this old noggin. After 28 years, she can see exactly what’s going on between my ears at all times. A lot of the time, she knows what’s going on in there better than I do.
Honestly, it can be kind of scary.
Other times, it can be downright handy.
“Honey, have you seen my…um….um…”
“Your glasses are on your head.”
“Oh. So they are. Thanks, honey.”
Later that same day, Kinship Announcer Beth Crosby was talking about Jesus calling Himself, “The Truth” and she made the point that He gets to call Himself that name because He is exactly who He said He was and He proved it by rising up out of that grave. The tomb is empty. The grave cannot hold His body down.
Yes, Jesus is The Truth and yes, He does know us better than we know ourselves.
Sometimes, it’s hard when The Truth looks you square in the eye and you are forced to accept that truth whether you like it or not. It’s uncomfortable, but it changes you for the better. It’s something that’s needed, not for our comfort or our convenience, but for the good of our souls.
If not for The Truth telling us the truth, none of us would ever change.
I know I wouldn’t.
The miracle is that The Truth –even though it can see all the messed up, broken, weird, lazy, awful stuff inside us– still loves us with this undying, glorious, wonderful, amazing, holy, ridiculous love.
And for that, I am grateful beyond all measure.
Today’s Praise
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 (NIV)
(Photo by the author.)
*My wife and I do not refer to them as “facial tissues,” but by the common brand name for the most popular kind of facial tissues, which is a Registered Trade Mark and (as I was repeatedly told in Big-Time Professional Writer’s School) would get me in all sorts and kinds of trouble if I were to use it in an off-handed, generic sort of way. Yes, there’s a scriptural application there, too. We will save that for another day if you don’t mind. Thank you very much. God bless you and thanks for reading. Yes. I know the facial tissues pictured are not the brand name I was referencing above. Thanks again!