Looking Beyond What At First I See

At first glance, if you lived when Jesus walked the earth, what would your gut reaction be to the crucifiction? What would you think when you saw the badly beaten body of Jesus - barely recognizable as human - torn and bleeding? What would you think as you heard the taunts and the hateful mocking words hurled at him. What would you think as he was humiliated in His nakedness as the soldiers cast lots to see who got to take His clothing?

I think we could safely say that nearly all of us would shrink back from such a terrible sight, not wishing this fate on anyone. Not even our worst enemy!

I don't think I would have been able to see anything at all that was even remotely good about the whole thing. But, as it turns out, to gaze upon my Lord hanging on that cross is to come face to face with a love so radical; so complete; so beautiful that never before nor since have we seen the likes of it. This is my salvation. It is the ultimate good - a necessary sacrifice - so I could be set free from darkness and sin.

Things are not always what they appear to be. Parkinson's Disease is like that. At first glance it is a detestable, horrible tragedy. I can see nothing at all even remotely good about it. But if I look, I can see the beauty brought forth in my own life from the depths of this disease. It doesn't have to be a tragedy and nothing more. I don't like it, but if I choose not to let it snuff out the light that is within me - the light that emanates from God's children - then grace and beauty have the last word!

I will go toe to toe and nose to nose with this disease and I will allow grace to do its work. Grace grows in the mire of pain and misery - whether that be a disease or some other heartache. You fill in the blank: Where ______ increases, grace abounds!