Hanging Pictures

The nine picture frames were laid out on the floor forming a nice square. Each picture frame held in its place its own piece of artwork. Some of the frames were square and some were rectangular. With each frame having one or two hooks by which to hang from the total number of hooks equaled ten.

The space on the newly painted wall was secured and I was asked if I could take the nine picture frames that formed a square on the floor and replicate that on the living room wall. "No problem. This will be easy," was my response.

You already know what happened don't you? You can see this one coming from a mile away. Let me just say that the pictures are up on the wall. The nine picture frames form a "somewhat square." It took a long long long time. And the big question for  you is, "How many holes do you think it took to hang the nine pictures with their ten hooks?
My iWitness...

There they were... so neatly and nicely laid out in the perfect square configuration on the floor. Just put them up on the wall in the same pattern. Replicate. Piece of cake! No problem! Turning the theory into action? "I've got it!!"

My wife made a classic comment during this relatively easy exercise... "I don't like to hear you cursing so much..."

Isn't it that way in the spiritual life with Jesus? He offers such simple commands that in "theory" should be easy to replicate. "Love one another," Jesus commands. "Piece of cake! I've got it!," is our response. And we begin to love others and quickly discover that loving others is messy and difficult. It's hard work and most of the time it takes a lot of holes in the wall of love to get the picture frame hanging level.

Sometimes there is even a little cursing that accompanies our best efforts to follow and fulfill the commands and counsel of Jesus.

Here's the deal...it doesn't matter how many holes there are in our wall of life. The beauty of it all rests in the fact that it only took three holes in a cross to cover our holes and make us "all square" with the Savior of the world.

And that's the best news of all..

"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1. 18)

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!

ps... Behind the nine pictures there are 20 holes in the wall...