Shattered Glass

I was watching a television show and that particular episode’s topic was interesting. It started with one of the friends bringing his new girlfriend to a gathering where his other friends hung out. Later on, when he asked his friends what they thought of his new romantic partner, they were initially reluctant to tell him. They did not want him to lose the luster of new romance that comes with the early stages of dating someone. Eventually they told him that she was okay, but that she talked too much. At that point, you could hear glass shattering as the new boyfriend began to recognize this annoying habit the other friends noticed about his new love interest. From that point on, every time he was with his girlfriend, he could not help but see how she indeed did talk too much.

Have you ever had the glass shattered in any of your relationships, either platonic or romantic? Somewhere down the road you recognize that he doesn’t wash his hands after using the restroom or she always talks about her ex-boyfriends. Or she plays the music in the car too loud or he always chews with his mouth open. Bad habits. We all have them and yes, some are worse than others. When we first start that new friendship or romantic relationship, we often don’t notice those bad habits that will later get on our nerves.

But then, the glass shatters and it seems like the bad habit keeps growing until it dominates your thoughts about the new person in your life.

First of all, we have to remember that the glass shattered for God in His dealings with us. He wants so much more for ourselves than we can envision, but our bad habits born out of fear and ego keeps us from reaching our potential. But somehow, God doesn’t allow the sound of shattering glass to keep Him from having a relationship with us. Thank God that He not only loves us for what we are now, but also for what we can become. That is the redeeming nature of Godly love.

Second, we Christian singles need to stop being so nit-picky in our relationships with each other. We all have the capacity to change bad habits into good ones and we all can grow in positive ways. Let’s make a genuine effort to help each other become more good and even less annoying. Let’s be willing to change even as we ask others to do the same.

Third, let’s put God’s redeeming love into action with ourselves and with those with whom we interact. I’m not saying that you need to be bosom buddies with an ax murderer or a lover with drug dealer, but most of the bad habits we have fall way short of killing people or peddling illegal drugs. Believe in the power of God’s love to transform Mr. or Miss Okay to Mr. or Miss Almost Perfect. (Let's face it; none of us will ever be PERFECT.)

If God can still love and be with us after the glass shattered for Him, surely we can do the same with each other.