Some friends and I were talking about making quilts recently.
No, I’m not a quilter. But I do love the varied colors and designs, the artistry of piecing together multiple fabrics in a way that pleases the eye.
So when they talk, I listen. I admire their patience and creativity.
One woman mentioned a trick she uses that captured my attention.
Apparently, when you’ve stitched together hundreds of tiny blocks into squares and you’re assembling the blocks into long strips or larger squares, it can be easy to turn one of the blocks upside down. That may not sound like a big deal, but if the design has been carefully planned, having one block turned the wrong way will ruin the overall effect. But during the assembly, it’s not easily noticed.
So my friend shared that she uses a peephole to study the quilt before she finishes it. She uses a device that’s made to insert into a door, and it allows her to focus on a specific area at a time without the distraction of the surrounding parts. She studies the entire quilt, one section at a time.
We all need a peephole to find the errors in our own lives.
If we could see a section of our heart close-up, without the distractions of the culture around us, we could identify the wrong thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
The Holy Spirit is the peephole we need. He uses scripture to help us focus on the parts that need to be ripped out and realigned. Then He becomes the seam ripper, if you will, to pull out the offending section. And He provides the thread to sew us back together so that our lives create a design that is attractive to those who are observing.
I may not make quilts, but I admire the skill of those who do. And I am thankful for the Master Quilter who is assembling my life in a beautiful pattern.
“Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life”
(Psalm 139:23-24, The Message).
