Weathered, Beautiful, And Full Of Character

Weathered, Beautiful, and Full of Character

The e-mail in my in-box trumpeted this subject line: “Weathered, beautiful, and full of character.” Honestly, how could I not open it?

The message was from a catalog retailer I’d ordered from before, and I believe the pitch of the day was for antique pub signs—something I could most certainly live without! But the phrase that had caught my eye also applied to my favorite previously purchased item from that seller: my trusty messenger bag.

The messenger bag is made of smooth, untreated leather. It has no tooling or trim, no plush lining or interior pockets. Several years old now, my bag bears the scuffed patina of age and wear: rain spots, coffee spills, and a stray pen mark or two. It has carried manuscripts, Moleskines, gel pens, a zipper-sleeved laptop, a phone, multiple paperbacks and Bibles, dog treats, lip balm, contact lens solution, and occasionally an extra pair of shoes.

It’s deep. And nondescript. No bling. With every trip it just gets softer, more flawed, and more beloved.

In time, I’d like to become “weathered, beautiful, and full of character” too. I’d prefer my personal weathering process to be a gentle one, but I don’t mean to hide its effects altogether. I’ve earned every one of my years, and almost all of them have been spent following the sweetest of Saviors. The weathering process he’s engineered has smoothed away some of my rougher edges and taught me to pack wisely and well. I can’t say that I feel beautiful, exactly, but I feel his beauty welling up and spilling over in the most unexpected ways. And I pray that the cuts and dings and scratches I do bear will indeed make me “full of character” one day.

If my good God can one day make me “weathered, beautiful, and full of character,” he can do it for you, too. I’m sure of it. Our part in the process is really very small. We must be willing to be filled up like my messenger bag and carried along, anywhere, for any reason he might choose.

Are you ready? Me, too.

Though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.

2 Corinthians 4:16, MSG