God thinks we're beautiful

So I was walking home from church today and I saw all the leaves on the ground. But I saw the most beautiful colors, like one in particular that was a deep deep red. And I'm thinking: Oh my goodness...this is breathtaking. And oh man, this is what God sees in us. Even when we're fallen He loves us so "bigly" (lol) that He still sees our beauty. And oh man the conviction that swept over me: What right do I have to judge my brother or sister when they fall? If God has shown mercy to us we'd better show mercy to our brothers and sisters in Christ and lift them up and pray for them instead of judging...

It also made me think of how the pearl is dug out of a nasty, smelly shell but the people go and LOOK for them, IN that nasty mess. And that's what God does to us. He looks for us in the mess. And, diamonds are buried under dirt. And when I did a google image search for diamonds underground I saw people mining for diamonds in caves. I'm reminded that God searches for us in our caves...like He did to Elijah in the Bible when he was hiding from Jezebel...and Gideon was hiding in a winepress underground and God encountered him.

And the thing is, the miners, the jewelers, the Lord, they see through all the dirt and everything and see the finished product. God told me, there will people who will only want to see us when we're good and will not be willing to dig in the dirt for us or take us through the process. It's like the story of the hen that kept asking if the other animals would want to help her bake the bread and everyone said no but they were more than happy to eat it. Some people will be more than happy when we're good enough to benefit them BUT GOD...God takes us through the entire thing. He is not afraid to get messy and smelly and hot and tired. And thank God for the people too....kuz yes there will be times when we have to go through things alone, just us and God, but many times God will send us people to see us and love us through the process. 

Finally, are we willing to see people through or are we going to just love each other when we're good for each other? Are we gonna still show our brothers and sisters love and see them as beautiful even if they fall? Even if they're in the dirt? I pray that we may be anointed to love on each other and pray for each other. Kuz yes, I can't love people in my own strength. And I have to check myself often: "Am I willing to be loving?" By the grace of God, we can be His hands and feet and heart and arms for someone who needs us....