A tailor works with his fingers to create a masterpiece of sartorial beauty. From that first stitch in a new piece of cloth to the finished garment in all its glory, it takes a lot of effort before it’s done. For those of us looking through the window, all we see is the stylish drape of silk and satin. However, the tailor sees something very different.
It takes a lot of pins to bring a pile of scraps to perfection.
Now, we may ask, what do pins have to do with our Christianity? Look at them as the sharp points in our days, those moments when we want to call it quits, because we are certain that God has not heard our prayers. Instead of giving up, we must remember the tailor and his pincushion. That little springy ball is what makes the finished garment possible. As the tailor works, he must be able to focus on his sewing, placing each pin and removing it in one fluid motion. It is the pincushion that keeps his fingers safe. It is its softness that makes the pincushion function.
Our hearts need to be like that pincushion, willing to take the sharp barbs sent our way in order that others may create beauty from the scraps of their lives.
In John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”
Peter’s reply was an astonished, “Of course, Lord.”
The Lord’s words confused Peter. Exactly what did Jesus mean? It was simple. He wanted Peter to become a pincushion for other believers, to serve them tirelessly, and to never let the barbs of the unbeliever shake his faith in the Master.
God is the great tailor of this world, and he is creating perfection in us one stitch at a time. He needs us to be his pincushions, to absorb the sharp edges of life for those around us, to still love others when they prick us with thoughtless remarks and cruel deeds.
God needs us to have a pincushion heart.
When love lets us remain kind even when those around us are at their worst, we can know we are right where God wishes us to be.
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Code: FD.FGO.J.11.13b.vp