Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Some People Complain Because God Put Thorns on Roses


While Others Praise Him For Putting Roses Among Thorns.


One rainy day a woman overheard someone say, "What miserable weather!"  She looked out her office window to see a big fat robin using a nearby puddle of water for a bathtub.  He was splashing and fluttering, thoroughly enjoying himself.  She couldn't help but think, Miserable for whom?  It's all a matter of perspective.

That's a lesson that Lincoln Steffens learned as a young boy.  He was watching an artist paint a picture of a muddy river.  He told the artist he didn't like the picture because there was so much "mud" in it.  The artist admitted there was mud in the picture, but what he saw was the beautiful colors and contrasts of the light against the dark. 

Steffens later preached in a sermon, "Mud or beauty--which do we look for as we journey through life?  If we look for mud and ugliness, we find them--they are there.  Just as the artist found beauty in the muddy river, because that is what he was fooking for, we will find, in the stream of life, those things which we desire to see.  To look for the best and see the beautiful is the way to get the best out of life each day."

I know that I'm dating myself here, but for those of you who remember Flip Wilson and his character, Geraldine,  "What you see is what you get, Honey!"


Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8

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