What Do You See?

I suppose my husband does not have enough honey do’s. He has adopted a new project. Recently his friend gave him an old Jeep Willis Truck. Of course this truck is in dire need of refurbishing. It looks like junk to me. But my husband loves Jeep’s.

We traveled six hours to procure this free truck. Of course we hauled a flat bed trailer to put it on. We had a great time visiting with friends and family in the process. But I just wonder how many of you would have the same reaction I did when I saw this truck. I didn’t think we should even take the time to load it and bring it home. No wonder our friends wanted to rid themselves of this problem.

We loaded the heap of junk on our trailer and started on our journey home. We stopped at a gas station to fill up with gasoline to make the long trip home. While at the pumps, guys start coming up to the old truck on the trailer. They made comments like “Cool” and “That’s a great truck!” I couldn’t believe it. I just blew it off.

A couple of hours down the road we had to stop for a bathroom break. What happened when we stopped? Of course men were coming up to the truck and commenting on how cool they thought the old heap was. I just shook my head in disbelief as we took off down the highway again.

Halfway through the trip we had to get more gasoline. (Our vehicle uses more gas when it has a trailer in tow.) At this stop a man walks up to my husband and proceeded to tell him that he knows where he can get another one just like it. He tried to sell us another one. My husband told him where we just came from and it turned out this guy is brother-in-law of my hubby’s friend. We just picked up for free the truck the brother-in-law tried to sell us. What a laugh!

One last pit stop before we arrived home. Hubby and youngest child were inside the store and I was watching the pump. While I was adjusting items in our vehicle and the gas was pumping, a man climbed all over the trailer looking at this old truck. I could hear him making comments such as “Sweet” or “Cool” or “Wow.” He got off the trailer and looked at me and thanked me. I nodded my head and thought, “I could charge $5 a person for this!”

We arrived home after dark so we parked the truck and trailer in the street for the night. The next morning my neighbor, friend and walking partner, Anna saw the truck and said, “Wow that’s an old truck! What are going to do with that?” Of course I explained all the plans my husband shared with me about this refurbishing project.

Eldon looks at this truck and see the potential that is in it. He plans to put in a Chevy engine. Put in a lift kit to raise it up. And paint it burnt orange. He wants to be able to drive it to and from work.

I see it taking up space in my back yard. But one day as I was looking out the kitchen window I saw something different. Out of my mouth I said, “I think its name is Maynard.” I went to my name book and Maynard means brave and powerful. That is how Eldon sees the truck after its restored state. He can see the potential in this truck once he restores it.

Once I saw this, I realized that is how God looks at us. The world may see broken vessels. We might look like pathetic human beings to others. We may have been through so many trials and battles that we’re broken up and scared. But God knows what we’re capable of doing for His glory.

In Judges 6, the Lord called Gideon to lead an army to defeat the Midianites. The Lord called Gideon a valiant or mighty warrior. Gideon’s response was that he was the weakest. But then the Lord told Gideon to go in the strength that he has. God promised him to be with him and that all the Midianites would be struck down. Then Gideon goes on asking for signs before he actually goes out. The Lord decreases his army and do you remember who wins? Of course, the Lord’s army led by Gideon.

What do you see when you think of yourself?

Gideon did not think he was capable of doing what the Lord called him to do. The Lord knew what Gideon could do with Him.

We may not think we are capable of doing what the Lord calls us to do. However, the Lord knows what we can do with HIM. Let us put our faith in Christ our Lord and Savior. Let us do what the Lord has called us to do. The Lord sees us differently than we see ourselves or how others may see us.

Romans 8:31 NKJV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:37 NKJV

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Blessings in Christ--