From Gary... Seen and unseen

If you have ever worked an overnight shift, you know how informal things can be.  This ugly picture of a bus reminded me of a rather odd occurrence.  One morning about 4 am, I was talking with someone in the store, when he completely "grossed me out".  He had found a roach on one of the shelves and PUT IT IN HIS MOUTH, TAKEN IT OUT AND PLACED IT BACK ON THE SHELF.  He then proceeded to tell me with an aire of absolute certainty that his mouth had more germs in it than the roach had in its entire body. Like I said- IT GROSSED ME OUT!!!  How do we think about the ugly things in the world? Are we repulsed by them and never look any closer? And then there is this passage from the book of Isaiah...

Isaiah 53:1-12 NASB
(1)  Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
(2)  For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
(3)  He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
(4)  Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
(5)  But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
(6)  All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
(7)  He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
(8)  By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
(9)  His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
(10)  But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
(11)  As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.
(12)  Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

When the president of The United States Of America speaks- people listen. He has authority and power.  I can honestly say that I have never thought of our current president (or any of them for that matter) being ugly.  If one was, would we still listen to him? Would his words carry the same weight? Now, consider the following...

2 Corinthians 4:1-18 NASB
(1)  Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,
(2)  but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
(3)  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
(4)  in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
(5)  For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.
(6)  For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
(7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
(8)  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
(9)  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
(10)  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
(11)  For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
(12)  So death works in us, but life in you.
(13)  But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak,
(14)  knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.
(15)  For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
(16)  Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
(17)  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
(18)  while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Crucifixion was a horrible way to die- the death reserved for criminals. Humiliating, the nude victim was placed very close to the ground, so that his (or her) feet could ALMOST TOUCH the ground. Add to this the description of a person who was despised and shall we say... less than attractive. Well, frankly, its difficult to see great things amidst the horrible backdrop. Yet, in the face of Jesus we see God; HIS LOVE AND SACRIFICE FOR US!!! So, the horrible becomes beautiful and the unseen deity is revealed in suffering flesh.  And there is LOVE!!!

So, the pig-mobile above could very well be the sweetest running vehicle there ever was; who knows?  Wouldn't it be ironic if it was owned by a police officer with a sense of humor. You know, that kind of person who would make such a thing BECAUSE HE WAS A COP!!!  And proudly drive the bus around town because to HIM it represented Pride, Integrity and Guts!!!