Evidence of a Well-Placed Round

The ironic thing about my bullet necklace is that the only reason it is usable as a necklace is because that bullet didn't do what it was made to do. It was crafted to hit a target. But if it had it would have been deformed and ugly. That "ugliness" would have been proof it had done its job well.
In life, our days are exchanged for something -- money, fame, love conquests, career, entertainment, and so on. Sometimes those things make our lives look visually beautiful. Others may enviously gaze upon our expensive cars, nice clothes, string of significant others, job, acclaim, connections with the right people, or pop culture knowledge.
Too often we look at these "beautiful" things in other's lives as proof that they are in God's will. When in actuality it may be the opposite. Sometimes it is those things which make our lives appear ugly (or make our lives hard) that really prove we are doing what God created us to do. A smaller house or second hand car so the money can support international missions or stateside ministries. A name no one knows, because we are too busy clean the church kitchen or changing out the air filter for our neighbor. One spouse for life. A plateaued career because we turned down the promotion that promised a bigger paycheck (but also 70+ hour work weeks). Ignorance of pop culture because our evenings are spent in God's Word or prayer or discipleship.
But the bottom line is ugly can be beautiful. Are we willing to make our lives "ugly" if that is what God wants?

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