It has almost been a year since I have left the classroom to be a full time educational therapist. I love what I do, but there are things I miss...like students blessing me with coffee, chocolate, and flowers.
One Monday morning, not too long ago, as I settled in my first student of the day came waltzing into my room with a beautiful purple flower. He had picked it from his yard for me and put it in his favorite pickle jar. This was my first flower from a student all year and I loved it!
I had that beautiful purple flower sitting on the desk in its’ pickle jar all day. However, throughout the day I saw a few ants here and there crawling around on my desk. It wasn’t until the end of the day when I realized that the ants were all coming from inside of my flower.
I picked up the jar, held it closer and saw ants crawling around through the leaves and petals. I quickly realized this flower was not as wonderful at it had originally appeared. Knowing I needed to get it outside before more ants made their home in my office I quickly got rid of it.
As I took one final look at the beautiful flower God spoke to me so softly in my heart that I almost missed it. He told me that things are not always as they appear.
The outside can be deceiving. It is what is on the inside that truly matters.
I left that day with a new understanding of the verse found in 1 Samuel 16:7, “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.’”
God reveals everything in His timing. If there are things that are not beautiful about us on the inside...He will bring it to light. Take the time to search your heart and see if you have ants that you need to get rid of. Or are you radiating His beautiful from the inside out?