Seasons

This time of year the north brings some ugly sights. Yes, the grass is visible and buds are just starting to show on the branches, but the remainder of winter leaves an irrefutable 'yuck' in the last piles of snow that can be found on corners or just under clumps of trees. The problem is that this snow does not look like snow - the fresh, white, sparkling snow that we have had renewed each week since last November. It is dirty and a real eyesore to the landscape now. Each time I pass a pile of this leftover snow, I reminisce a little about the previous beauty of winter.


If I can be a little philosophical for a moment, it does remind me of how easily we can cover the filth in our lives with a good facade. This dirty snow was part of the winter landscape the whole time - it was just hidden under the surface of the fresh, clean snow. There are many times I am disappointed when someone's real character ends up being less than the sparkling snow I was presented with when I met them. You know, when the dirt in their life becomes more obvious after getting to know them better.


Our first impressions mean alot, that's true. However, if that first impression is just a thin layer of sparkle over some real dirt, two things are possible. First, eventually that dirt will be visible to those who become close to us. Second, we are so aware of our dirt that we refuse to let anyone get close to us in order to keep hiding it. Neither choice is a real glory to God.


There is no denying that we all have this lower layer of dirt. Thankfully the Lord has a much better way to cover it in a much more permanent way than the freshly driven snow!

Thou has forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sins. Selah.

Psalm 85:2