It's not the wrapping, but what's inside that counts

Good Morning Friends!  Wondrously wrapped in HIS loving arms Wednesday!  Well, yesterday we took care of the shopping, now it’s time to start wrapping!  Last night as I sat in the middle of the living room floor surrounded by gifts waiting to be wrapped I thought….oh gosh….what a job!  I have never been real good at wrapping, I love to see beautiful packages, fancy bows and ribbon, tight crisp edges, but I just never have been able to conquer that art!  My husband says I don’t have enough patience…..I say it’s just not my forte!  So consequently, the gifts under my tree and especially the ones being sent in the mail just don’t look all that pretty…..Well anyway, as I was saying, as I sat in the middle of the floor wrapping the thought occurred to me…..well you know…..I wasn’t alone, HE was there twinkling in the lights of the tree….so HE was guiding my thoughts….And this is what HE came up with….”My child, don’t you know that it’s not how the package is wrapped that counts, it’s what inside!”   I felt a smile welling up inside of me, from deep in my heart…..Oh goodness, we spend so much time worrying about how we look, getting our hair cut, colored, new style, painting our nails, and clothes…crazy how we worry about what we wear, oh let’s not forget all the wrinkle creams, diets….so we look good….on the outside…..And so what if we do look awesome all “wrapped” up in our styles and creams….Our Father doesn’t even see all that, HE is looking to what is inside.  What’s in our hearts and minds, what shows through our words and actions….that’s what needs to be pretty!  Sure is a relief to know HE doesn’t care what we look like on the outside (cause my wrinkles are out of control)….I was still smiling as I finished my wrapping for the evening…..smiling to think that the receivers of my gifts will delight in what’s inside even if the “wrapping” isn’t so pretty!   Thank you Father for looking past our wrinkles and gray hair to what’s inside….help us to always be “pretty” on the inside….to Your glory.

 

This will be a sign unto you:  You will find a baby “wrapped” in cloths and lying in a manger.  Luke 2:12.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is great worth in God’s sight.  1 Peter 3:3-4.  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 man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7. 

Love you all!