
*****
Jesus uses everyday objects to teach important truths. One of my lessons came from a measuring tape—the carpenter’s variety, where the tape is encased in a hard shell and can be stretched out and snatched back at the press of a button.
The measuring tape image was offered to me as a picture of my love. While it has the capacity to be far-reaching, it’s also true that one little touch of the button can send it retreating, retracting, and recoiling inside its hard little shell.
When people push my button (that button) my love can go from reaching to retracting, moving farther away from them, and becoming all wrapped up in me. Suddenly, those who may need my love no longer have access to it. It is, quite literally, out of their reach.
God’s love reaches; it doesn’t retract. When we don’t measure up, it reached further still.
“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens” Psalm 36:5 (NIV)
*****
Unlike the tape measure, I, unfortunately have many buttons that when pushed cause my love to come whizzing back. My love tends to extend or retract based on how I feel or how I am treated. Fortunately, God’s doesn’t.
Oh, to be more like Him and a whole lot less like me.
(Taken from Pray a word a day: volume 2 --Guideposts:2023 — day 145)