Schmear on my Windshield
Several times I've noticed how I have a habit of driving with a nasty schmear on my windshield. It's there, front and center, and yet I don't bother cleaning it off. Sometimes I drive like that for long trips. Every 27 seconds I silently curse the schmear. Sometimes the schmear is on the inside of the glass and it would only take a second to clean it off.
I asked the Lord what He was trying to teach me about the Schmear on my Windshield. Why do I focus on it? Why do I leave it there?
I think it's that I am so focused on the mess/imperfection/distraction. It becomes my whole world. It's literally what I stare at...instead of the beauty beyond the glass. I have a wide window to the world, yet I resentfully stare at the schmear.
Do you do that? It's a distinctly human characteristic. When my kids dress for church, I notice the breakfast on their shirt. I notice the rip under the collar. The schmears. They make me nuts. When the mail comes, I am dragged down by the bills. When school is starting, I'm sad that summer is over. During the Olympics, a gymnast does a near-perfect routine, but hops as she lands. The commentors are delighted to point out the error, the schmear.
Faith requires a different response. It's believing what we do not see, instead of focusing on the bird poop we do see. It's asking us to look beyond our present mess into the big beautiful world. We may not be able to see the big picture clearly, but we can look beyond the everyday distraction to what is beyond. We have to try!
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
From today forward, I am not going to focus on the schmear. I'm going to focus on what I do not yet see, and drive contentedly in that direction. How about you?
1 comment:
I also get stuck on the schmears of life. Dr. bills, laundry, work, grocery shopping, errands, the price of gas, losing weight, etc... Satan likes to distract us any way possible - even if it's a schmear on the windshield or gum that someone stuck on my car at the mall the other day. I thought this was just gross but nonetheless - a schmear. Thanks for helping me see these schmears in a different light. :-)
Laura Lancaster
PS: I like the bangs!
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