What's Inside?

I drive a hybrid car (tree huggers unite) and I remember the panic I first felt whenever I needed to get on the expressway. You see, the engine has terribly slow pickup. In fact, the car turns off at red lights to save gas. As it idles and then falls silent before reengaging, it could easily be mistaken for a stalled engine. But under the hood, energy is being conserved for the open road ahead. At 175,000 miles, it does the job without much fanfare. Conversely, some of the loudest muscle cars have the least longevity, requiring constant mechanical attention. Appearances rarely tell the whole story. Any farmer knows that although seeds may look the same, they produce completely different crops when harvest time comes.

Good questions are paramount. What was inside the water at the wedding in Cana? Potential for a miracle. When Jesus turned the water into wine, H20 surrendered to its purpose because destiny has more power than reality. Jesus always looked at what was inside and gave no credence to external appearances. In fact, He spoke of religious whitewashed tombs with nothing but evil inside when addressing the Pharisees. We are image bearers of Christ, whether we feel like it or not. But be encouraged and know that God often uses the least likely person. He used Moses to give the clarion call to the children of Israel despite his speech impediment! Superstars aren’t what He needs—just hearts that will obey.

What’s inside of a hurricane? The eye. The only stabilizing force and the place of greatest calm. What hides within the dull exterior of an oyster? A pearl. May is the month when flowers go on full display, dazzling the fields with a vibrant spray of color. Yet when the buds are closed, they are less-than-impressive to behold. Good conditions give rise to potential. But sometimes, the conditions in our lives deteriorate rapidly. What happens then? Pressure causes combustion that exposes internal content. The purest gold is refined at the highest temperatures. What's inside of a person wearing a forced smile who seems to have the world at his or her fingertips? There may be immeasurable pain lurking just beneath a thin veneer of those trappings of success. Please handle their hearts with care because you never know when the surface cracks will give way and break open, exposing a deep chasm.

Recently, the world of Christian music was shaken to its core when news of Mandisa's untimely death broke. Although the story is being covered with tact (and only God knows what happened), she was always transparent about her battle with depression. Her immense talent was only eclipsed by her beautiful heart. April was a month that burdened me beyond my breaking point. But even precious olive oil can't be extracted without the crushing process, followed by filtering and separation. Why? Because pressure removes sediment and leaves only the essential part. Sadly, just before losing my father on April 11th, I saw him at his very worst. The outer man was fading fast, and interventions were no longer working. Yet on the inside, God saw an eternal soul that had not been impacted by age or disease.

External variables DO NOT define you! God called you "worthy" and saw your value before the foundations of the earth. My students know that I enjoy symbolic gifts. This year, one parent began sending me "potential butterflies" so that my students could engage in authentic learning. Although we hope for the best, some of them survive and others do not. The chrysalis phase seems to be a time when nothing is happening; yet rapid change is occurring in those seven to ten days. Have you ever wondered if God was really at work in your life because your situation appeared stagnant? Like the glorious monarch butterfly, you too will emerge from the struggle. Be encouraged. The Greater One lives inside you!

1 Samuel 16:7 (CEB)

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Have no regard for his appearance or stature, because I haven’t selected him. God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the heart.”

*Note: I normally link a related worship song, but something else is on my heart this month. In honor of my father, I wanted to include the song that I sang to him as he stepped into eternity. Please indulge me and continue to pray for our family.