Standing there, peering in from the sidewalk, my eyes captivated by the pure whiteness of the pales in front of me. Picket after picket of beautifully painted wood framing the freshly manicured lawn below. I need to see more. Slowly, I begin to unlatch the gate. The beauty surrounding me drawing me in. Suddenly, something catches my eye. A sign. DO NOT ENTER. I stand there confused. The perfection around me still beaconing me to come closer. Why would someone want to keep me out? I don’t understand. I look around to see if anyone is there. No one. The latch undone I push the gate ever so carefully, holding my breath as it lets out a faint squeak. Peering around, the coast still clear. I carefully close the gate behind me and move up the path. Another sign…NO TRESPASSING! I pretend not to see it, focusing my eyes on the bend up ahead. Every part of me braced for the beauty that must lay ahead. With every step my heart beats louder with anticipation. Ba boom, ba boom, ba boom. I creep around the bend
and freeze.
What? How can this be? I look around in confusion. Weeds. Everywhere. Mountains of rubbish strewn across the dry, withered ground. The stench hits my nostrils and I heave. All around me, chaos. Brokenness everywhere. I can tell there’s been pain here. Deep, agonising pain. My heart begins to break and I’m filled with sorrow. Then I hear it…. a whisper. “Look behind the overgrowth”. Startled, I jump. Looking around, there is no one. “Look deeper, can’t you see it?” The voice murmurs again. Suddenly the sun’s rays strike the overgrowth in front of me. It is captivating. The light drawing me in. I need to go there. Carefully, I climb over the debris below my feet. I move the vines and weeds and begin clearing the ground. Then I see it…
a perfect white rose.
Not a blemish in sight. Behind the mess, pure radiant beauty. I am speechless and I am undone.
People everywhere are living behind the illusion of a perfect white picket fence. Putting up a facade in order to show the world they have it all together. Forever laboring to ensure the grass is perfectly manicured and the idealistic fence meticulously painted. Petrified of never being enough, that people will see the real them, they cover up pain, failure and heartbreak. A ‘no trespassing’ sign covering their hearts, never letting people in close enough to truly see who they are.
However, what this world fails to say is that when we unlock the door of vulnerability and allow others in, the weeds of pain, shame and failure slowly dissipate. The rawness and beauty of the imperfect human story surfacing, revealing the shear and utter splendour that is:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
YOU.
Raw, imperfectly beautiful YOU.
A YOU that this world is crying out for. A unique, heaven breathed soul created by the Lord for such a time as this. The world is longing for authenticity…
Will you be it?
