Category: Words of Wisdom

When I Look At You

The most degraded man on the face of the earth is precious, and Christ died for him. That poor soul may have made a wrong choice, but that is not for us to decide. While he has life, he has hope. He might not seem lovable to us, but he is loved by God. – Fulton Sheen

Think not that when I look at you, I look only at your faults. That all I see are the rough edges and the shadows surrounding you. Think not that as I gaze upon you, I have come only to measure you, to find only what is lacking in you.

No, this is not how I look at you. For though I see all this darkness, all this brokenness and pain, all these things could never turn me away.

On the other hand, I have come to share your sufferings, to taste your tears, even to dwell upon your wounds. And there, where all is bitterness, I live, and I love.

I take your every weakness upon me, I claim all of them as mine. For you are mine. You are my beloved. And if you are willing, you can rest your broken heart upon Mine.

And I shall look at you as I look upon my own wounded heart. Pierced and crushed, yet overflowing with compassion. Knowing both sorrow and joy. Beating as one with love!

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,
and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
-Psalm 34, WEBBE

Words of Wisdom

To Love As God Loves

“God’s viewpoint is sometimes different from ours – so different that we could not even guess at it unless He had given us a Book which tells us such things….In the Bible I learn that God values us not for our strength or our brains but simply because He has made us.” – Corrie ten Boom, Hiding Place

I have realized that unless I know how Jesus loves me, I wouldn’t know how to obey Him when He said, “Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”

My first task therefore is to know as much and as deeply as possible how much Jesus loves me. Because if I get it wrong, I won’t be able to love others right.

And looking back, I know I often got it wrong.

I have often thought that Jesus loves me only when I’m good. That Jesus can only love me perfectly when I am also perfect myself.

I’ve been afraid of Him, of His justice, as though He has only allotted a fixed number of times for His forgiveness.

I thought Him to be always stern and serious, like He could never even smile.

Yet the truth is that His mercy is infinite. And He gave His life for me long before I ever knew Him! The truth is that He is humble and He welcomes even a little child.

He knows me even more than I could possibly know myself. He knows how weak I am, and that is why He can be gentle and so patient with me.

He knows my fears. He knows all my wounds.

He is not among those who will rejoice when I hurt, who will scold me as I trip and fall. For He is the Friend who has compassion for me, who lifts me up and carries me upon His arms.

He wants me to be happy, truly and endlessly happy. He wants to shower me with His love!

John 13:34 (WEB) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

John 15:12-13 (WEB) This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Words of Wisdom

Be Made New

We can look at the same painting twice and see very different things. Not because the painting has changed, but because we ourselves have. – Jocelyn Soriano

It’s a bit scary to reveal ourselves too much to other people, to share what it is that makes us laugh, what makes us cry, the things we like or not like at all. It’s scary because after revealing these things, we may be judged by them, and the judgement could hurt because we have been criticized just where we are most naked and vulnerable. Furthermore, the judgement could persist even if we have already outgrown such things or made a different path. People’s opinion of us can be stuck even if we have already changed.

Despite that however, let us remain confident with our own path of growth. Let us not be confined to other people’s idea of us, but continue to be ourselves, even if we have not remained as the kind of person they expected us to be.

“Behold, I am making all things new.” – Revelations 21, WEBBE

Poems Words of Wisdom

To Look Beyond

“Whatever in our life is hardest to bear, love can transform into beauty.” – Corrie ten Boom

Past The Ragged Ends

There’s a wonderful view just up these mountains
past the rough roads, and ’round the bend,
But you’ll never see it, unless you climb it
and unless you make your way to the very end.

There’s a beautiful soul just within him
past all the sketchy and rough edges
But you’ll never see it, until you seek it
unless you look past all the ragged ends.

The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. – 1 Corinthians 15, WEBBE

Poems Words of Wisdom

A Time To Hide

“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. . . . Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.” – Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

When we experience difficult times, we often hear people say that things are going to be alright, and maybe they will, just not at the moment, not yet. And though we want to show the world we still have some sliver of hope, some strength remaining, we just want some time away. For there is a time to rest, isn’t it? It isn’t always daylight, and the season doesn’t always fall into spring.

When It’s Night

When life just feels so dreary,
and the world, so dark and sad,
And the load you bear is so heavy,
and you’re just bruised and broken bad.

Take heart and rest awhile,
and if your heart is broken, you can cry.
No one ever said we must always smile,
no one ever said there’d be no night.

For there are times of joy and times of trouble,
there are days when you just feel so tired.
You have tried and tried and tried,
you did all you could with all your might!

Take heart and give yourself some time,
give yourself some space to hide.
No one ever said we must always toil,
no one ever said we must always shine.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
-Psalm 91, WEBBE