In the Master's Shoes

Sometimes we find ourselves in unfamiliar circumstances, with no sound option but to move forward with the hope of learning something. The predicament, if we are watchful, can transform us like a caterpillar into the most beautiful butterfly, giving flight to our purpose in life. God places us there, not in the dire straits that we can see from our perspective, but in the opportunity to grow, from His perspective, into the masterpiece that He intends. It’s like knowing the expression of the Mona Lisa, but her lips haven’t yet tasted the artist’s brush, knowing the twinkle in eyes that have not yet seen the color of the paints, blending on the palette. It’s coming into focus more and more for us, the painted, but the Painter has seen the wonderful Vision all along the dotted way.

If we are never found in a new place, a new trial, or a new happenstance, we become stagnant and murky. Soon we start to stink, and before you know it we’re breeding grounds for all the nasty things. Selfishness and pride mix in with a dose of complacency and laziness, and it’s a terrible brew, a cup of wrath for the drinking.

But, If we choose to welcome the adventure of each new day, the epiphany of each sunrise, the troubles of each trial.....ahhhh, life is fresh, ripe, ready for the tasting! We’ve only to pluck that beautiful fruit from the tree and savor!

It was a flurry of preparations on the day we knew the master of the house would be coming to visit. Electric air! Thoughts were racing, anticipation churning.

Tikilene, my Haitian Momma, arrived early, with a bounce in her step.
“Pierre is coming!” She said with a smile. “We have alot of work to do!”
I gave her a big hug, the only proper way to hug a Mom, and decided to toy with her a bit,
“Hey, you want to go for a swim in the ocean with me. It’s beautiful out there. We can just relax and take it easy.”
“No, No, No!” She insisted, just the way I knew she would. “There’s no time for that! Only time for work! Work!”
I laughed.
“Yes, Momma. Ok. Well......let’s get to the work!”

She cleaned and scrubbed and mopped away with Abby and Kari. The girls had the inside.
Logan and I started picking up leaves, burning the garbage, sweeping the yard. The boys had the outside.

I’d never been in that position before, awaiting and preparing for the arrival of the master of the house. I’ve always been the master of my own house, and it was never up to anyone but my wife and I to clean up whatever mess we found. There were always plenty of messes, thanks to two kids, two dogs and a cat.
This was an entirely new point of view.

As the hour approached, the work finished and it was time for inspection. Under Tikilene’s watchful eyes, we gave everything a second look. All of us took on her servant’s heart. Smiling, singing, bouncing. We tried to put ourselves in the master’s shoes. What would be the first things he’d see? What would his eyes fall to as he entered the gates of his home? What detail needed polishing, so he would feel the most perfect relief to be home, to bring thanksgivings to his heart?

Verses sprang to my mind, and I realized that, once again, God was painting me a picture, making His words leap up off the pages so I could understand His story with more clarity. A smile was coming to my face. A twinkle to my eye, as I realized He was putting things into perspective for me, in ways I could comprehend, in much the same way you might tell a story to a child using puppets. I’m thankful He does that for me. It tells me that He loves me, He cares for me enough to help me understand, a little more every day.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ~Matthew 24:45-51