the BEAUTY of the one who tries

A story told to give perspective:

As I'm sitting in church, I am waiting for the piano to start playing, the choir to get on stage, and for the music to start...as I'm waiting I watch the people around me, observing them, studying them...

MR.BOWTIE
"Mr. Bowtie, you look nice today"
"Why, thank you, ...got this tie and vest just yesterday, always want to look nice for Sundays"
I smile and say, "Well, you look nice"
He goes on his way.

MRS. LACE
"Mrs Lace, goodmorning"
"Good Morning!"
"How's it going, I haven't seen you in a while"
"Yeah, I'm good, been busy.... are you going to that bible study they are talking about in the bulletin?"
"I..." 
she interrups, "I am, but I'm going to have to see if it works with my schedule, I'm already a part of the married couples' bible study, and I have choir practice on wednesdays, and childrens church meetings"
"well see, Mrs Lace, take care"

MISS BLUEJEANS
up comes Miss bluejeans,..
"Morning' miss bluejeans, hows it going?"
"alright... tired.. I don't really want to be here, but I've have a lot going on.  I've been battling again with my temptations, and my daughter is wearing me out, and I need to get into church I knew it would be a good place to start again. "
"you're going in the right direction, God cares for you, and waits for you to lay your burdens down at His feet"
"yeah, I heard God loves me, I'm just not so sure about all this God stuff, I mean... its cool and all but I don't know if its my style.  But I'm going to give it a try"
"I'm glad youre here, ..be praying for you"
Miss bluejeans walk away and sits down.

All of a sudden the music starts to play and the choir is in place, and the church service is starting, but deep down inside I'm pondering on the things that were said from Miss bluejeans... her heart... her honesty... her brokeness.... HOW BEAUTIFUL of the one who tries... the one who longs for a love that can comfort every need, for a peace that surpasses all understanding, for a promise that will never be broken, and for a reality that the Creator loves her for her, not her dresscode, or her good deeds... but her alone in her brokeness.

So Beautiful:  Another story to think of is the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears.  "And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." Luke 7: 37-39 

Who could read that and NOT say that that is beautiful.  For the one who tries...the one who makes an effort to get right with the Lord, is the one displaying the beauty of "SURRENDER"