Under the Snow

I am not a huge fan of all the snow that we have had, but I have to admit it has been absolutely beautiful! The snow came heavily at times and then we seemed to get a daily coating to keep it fresh and white for weeks. The last couple of days it has warmed up and the snow is melting. You can now see the dirty snow along the roads, foot prints, leaves, and whatever else is now being exposed that was hidden under the snow. Not quite as pretty.

It made me think about my own life. On the outside, I can have the appearance of having it all together. I can look like my life is in order and that I am living within the standards that God has called me to. Appearances, just like snow, can be deceiving. What lies underneath is what tells the truth about who we are.

The snow melts and we may find the long forgotten gardening tools. We may see signs of new growth in plants or we just might see the trash that got covered by the snow and then forgotten. After all, if you can't see it then it isn't really there right? Then spring comes and things started getting heated up.

Who are we when the covering is melted off and the heat is on? Will people see new growth in our lives or will they see a heap of trash that got covered up? Will footsteps be exposed of places we have gone that we shouldn't have or will they see our footsteps walking along those of Christ? Will they see tender new shoots or bitter roots? Will people see an image of Christ under the melted snow or simply the temporary remains of a snow angel?

The beautiful thing with Christ is that no matter what is exposed after the snow melts it can be cleaned up, fixed up and transformed into something new again. Who we are on the inside matters more than who we are on the outside. When the heat comes, and it will, what will people find in me? What will they find in you?