I messaged those words to my sister who just sent a photo of herself and another lady at an event with the exact same cape. It was beautiful so I suggested she “send the photo it to the cape-maker”. The cape is rust and looks knitted with Navajo patterns – a standout – but what great marketing material for its “maker”. How was your appearance in the world today? I have had a few occasions in my lifetime where I was caught behaving badly – things like snarling at my little darlings to hurry up. Last week I drove the wrong way on a one-way street (in an unfamiliar town). Maybe I have been coarse a time or two on social media by asking an unwanted question. It’s a lot. Then there is the Pharisaical tooting of one’s own horn like mentioning, today, that I was waiting to take a friend to the hospital. I was, but I was also drawing attention to how “thoughtful” I can be now that I have this time in retirement (but where does the time go in a day)? We act like God is not always with us and observant – that our faith is not always on display. I sometimes wonder if that pastor out there somewhere , mistreating loyal staff, thinks God doesn’t see or is it that God makes special allowances for him or is there a God? I don’t know what we are all thinking when the light of the world is reduced to a shadow by our foolish choices. But we should not give up on good. I pray for a prison ministry and the list of prayer requests arrives on the first of the month on four pages. It is a lot, but take your everyday shame and compound it with a legal conviction for all of the world to see that leads to prison. People disown you and others step away. No hiding that big shame yet any sin makes us unholy and unworthy. The weight of that hopelessness would feel unbearable. I want to be a better “advertisement” for God’s unfailing grace. None of us has fallen so far that God cannot find us. I have a beautiful sister who reminded me, with a fun photo, that I am not my own. We cannot give up on good. (I’m asking her permission to post the photo so circle back)
