The Imperfect Horse Barn (and Me)

My family had a four-stall horse barn, and a friend and I decided to build a fort in the rafters. We collected plywood planks from every willing neighborhood donor. I borrowed my dad’s hammer and nails, and we built our grandiose hideout within a few hours. Dad also gave me permission to us some leftover carpet scraps, and voilà—we had a carpeted hideout. (Photo via Pixabay)

Only, one problem. The copious amount of dust. Confession: a few years prior, I thought I’d “help” my dad by hammering all the knots out of the wood plank walls. In my child perspective, those knots were funny looking and ugly.

My innocent vandalism provided our horses with natural air-conditioning in the summer, and a frigid breeze in the winter. The combination of the horses kicking up dirt and the fresh breeze swirling that dust around the barn rendered our new hideout unbreathable. Had I only understood the value of those ugly imperfections.

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An interesting fact about these funny looking defects:

“Dead branches drop off of healthy, living trees all the time, and wood knots appear in the trunk where branches died. Knots are imperfections that cause living wood grain to grow around them. These imperfections are just part of what makes wood a beautiful material with which to work, but can also contribute to possible defects in structural strength for construction lumber.” Ron Smith of Wagner Meters, (emphasis mine).

I read the above description and, immediately, the biblical symbol of trees representing people took on new life. I am like a tree planted along a riverbank, Psalm 1:3 ⇐How many human trees have dead branches that God needs to lop off?

Imperfections cause growth

Do I question God’s ability to work His masterpiece in a way that enables me to do the good things He planned for me long ago? He knew all along how I’d turn out. So am I not okay to complain, “Why on earth did you make me this way?”

“…notice how the grain pattern slopes up to 90 degrees to get around wood knots. Remarkable. This is why many consumers enjoy having decorative wood with knots.” – Ron Smith.

If natural wood with knots is this remarkable, how much more remarkable are you and I, given that we start out made in God’s image and then are re-created and transformed by His Spirit? At the same time, our imperfections prevent us from pridefully boasting about the good accomplished through our lives. Our “knots” make it “‘so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours,” 2 Corinthians 4:7.

This beautiful image of knotted wood gives me a deeper understanding of how His power works best in my imperfection. His grace is always sufficient in all situations, but especially in a personal weakness that has the potential to defeat me. (Photo by Milan Popovic on Unsplash)

Do your imperfections embarrass you—former lifestyle, insecurities, fears, etc? Kingdom people value authenticity. To face your shame takes a brave step, an option Adam and Eve ran from, instead using fig leaves to hide their “knots.” But if we surrender what shames us into the hands of the Master Pruner, He can and will turn them into your most attractive feature.

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Do you view your imperfections as knots to be hammered out? As features you have to hide from others?

Believe me, wearing authenticity is more attractive than sporting fig leaves. Ask for Heaven’s perspective, and see how God will refashion the unique “grain” of your wood to beautifully wave around that very imperfection as He refines and beautifies you.

Sowing Authentic Seeds of Bravery

“But he answered me, “My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.” So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. So I’m not defeated by my weakness, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure mistreatment—when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face persecution because of my love for Christ—I am made yet stronger. For my weakness becomes a portal to God’s power.“

2 Corinthians 12:9-10, emphasis mine.