Something Beautiful

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:9-13

I wonder if Mom will ever be well again, Savannah thought as she got out of the car and walked with her aunt toward the church. Savannah was staying with her while Dad took Mom to a special doctor in another city.

“Look at that window, Savannah,” Aunt Melanie said, pointing to a stained glass window visible from the outside of the church building.

Savannah looked up, but she wasn’t impressed. “All I see are a bunch of little dark pieces of glass,” she said with a frown.

“Wait till we get inside, and then look again,” replied Aunt Melanie.

After they took their seats, Aunt Melanie nudged Savannah. “Look!” she said, and Savannah looked up at the stained glass window. It looked much different from this side. The sun shone brightly through the colored glass, revealing a picture of children gathered around Jesus.

As they were leaving their seats at the end of the service, Aunt Melanie again motioned toward the window. “You know, that window looks so different with the sun shining through it, and that reminds me of life.” She reached over to squeeze Savannah’s shoulders. “From our point of view, life can seem dark and dull, especially when we’re going through bad times—like your mom’s illness. But Jesus can help us see things from His angle. He can shine through the difficulties we face and make a beautiful picture of our lives.”

Savannah sighed deeply. “I’m so scared though,” she said.

“I understand,” said Aunt Melanie, “and so does Jesus. He knows what it’s like to go through terrible hardship—He suffered and died to save us from sin. When we face hard times in our lives, He’s close to us and uses them to help us grow in our relationship with Him and show others His love. He can shine through our suffering so we—and others—can see a clearer picture of who He is.”

As Savannah stared at the window, the face of Jesus seemed to light up as the sun shone through the glass. She gave her aunt a small smile as they headed for the door. • Hazel W. Marett

How About You?

Does life look dull and dreary to you? Perhaps there’s been sickness or a death in your family. Maybe your parents are separating, or your best friend moved away. Jesus understands how you feel when you’re hurting—He faced terrible suffering and death to give you eternal life. When you face difficulties, He will use them to help you know Him better and become more like Him. Trust Him to make something beautiful out of your life.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust Jesus in hard times