by Richelle Hecker

Stepping outside your safety zone in order to love.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link. 

Bees were never my favorite. I can appreciate the fascinating look of the bee in this photo; its furry yellow striped exterior and delicate wings are beautiful. I know that the work that this bee is doing benefits more than its own hive of bees. It is important for our environment and ultimately for the health of my whole family. Still, I’d prefer not to be up this close to it in person.

My dislike for bees ought to be aimed more specifically towards yellow jackets and wasps. These are the insects that have actually given me trouble. It was because of yellow jackets that I spent my eleventh birthday packed in ice, though from their perspective it may have been my fault. Still this experience and a few others have brought me to a place where I tend to judge all yellow-colored flying insects equally. I have no desire to look close enough to find out which kind I’m dealing with.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
I Samuel 16:7 New International Version

God gets close enough to each one of us to examine our hearts and judge us accordingly. As Christians who long to be more like Jesus we too need to make an effort to get to know individuals on a deeper level. It is easier to avoid people who look like they fit into a category that we do not want to deal with, then to reach out to those people and discover their unique God-ordained qualities. As God’s children we are called to love as He loved us. This means it’s time to look beyond the outward appearance and get to know the heart. It may be difficult to overcome the fear triggered by our own past experiences, but the reward will be worth it!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO