An Old Belt
My brother called from Seattle, Washington the other day, laughing so hard I could not imagine what was so funny!
It seems he was working on a project around the house and needed to put on his work belt that had not been used for several years. You guessed it, the belt missed closing by four inches, which he thought was pretty funny and a little embarrassing.
At that moment I decided I should check to see if I was subject to the same problem because after all we are brothers. I found an old belt, the kind you never give away to check it out.
Old belts are funny they have marks at every place where you have used the belt, sometimes as you got larger and sometimes you have actually lost some weight. This belt is an old favorite, basic brown but real leather with a brass buckle, not like the more plastic belts of today. As I examined this belt it showed my successes and my failures through the years. Sometimes I would have been heavy and need the full stretch of this belt and other times when I had been more successful in my endeavor to trim down to a more pleasant size.
As I examined my very old but comfortable belt it seemed like I was looking at my Christian life.
What part of my life had I been comfortable and not too concerned about my relationship with Christ? And were there times when I needed Christ and decided to make an effort to make Jesus more a part of my life.
It seems such a shame my life as a young father was sometimes so selfish or lazy that I would not have taken the time and effort to grow my personal connection with Christ and in so doing be a better example to my children?
The great news is Jesus is not like my old belt, He is forever ready and willing to give me another chance to change my attitude and synch my belt up even tighter to improve my relationship with Him and be able to stand in His presence knowing that His love for me is eternal.
I will never look at that old belt with anything but gratitude and thanksgiving that I am His and He is mine!