January 15 – Lesson in a dishcloth

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" - Ephesians 4:32 ESV 

As part of my usual duties I was out and about visiting my visually impaired clients to check if they were coping, or in need of training or assistance. One 60 year old lady I had known for some years – we first met when she attended a rehabilitation centre where I, at the time, worked, and over the years, out of hours, we had become friends. If I was working in her district, I would pop in to visit with my sandwiches, and have lunch at her home.

This particular day, as I was leaving, Violet handed me a paper bag. At her request, I didn't open iit until I arrived home later in the day. In the bag was several multi-coloured knitted squares and rectangles – dish cloths, she told me later on the telephone. Violet had taken up knitting. She kept her hands busy while she listened to her latest book choice on her Talking Book machine.

As I took the cloths out of the bag one by one, several sizable holes became apparent – not part of the design, but holes made by accidentally dropped stitches. I knew that Violet, though fully blind, had been aware of those holes because nothing missed her sensitive fingers.

I picked up each dishcloth again and felt genuinely moved at the significance of the holes. Violet had entrusted me to accept her craftwork – work that she knew was not perfect, it was flawed. Would I have taken that risk, or would my pride have overruled?

I was emotionally moved as I realised that Violet trusted me enough to allow her imperfect work to come into my hands. Like our friendship which over the years, had also had it's imperfections – it's holes. This bag of knitted dishcloths reminds me of Laban's declaration in Genesis

Tears bubbled up as I realized that Anne also trusted me with her imperfection. She wasn't looking for my approval. This small green square of knitting was a reminder of our long-held friendship, a journey not without its own trials and breaches of understanding. Just as Laban declared in Genesis

31:48: "This pile of stones will stand as a witness to remind us of the covenant we have made today, (NLT)" The dishcloth was a witness of our covenant relationship. Though not perfect, we were bound together in Christ's love and forgiveness. The Bible says, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, Colossians 3:12," (NLT). Spiritual fruit in action.

We stand before God as imperfect beings, flawed by sin, but thanks to Jesus, He views us through the filter of Christ's sacrifice on the cross - “Even before He mde the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes” Ephesians 1:4 NLT

When we ask for forgiveness, despite our "holes," our sins, Father God cherishes us as His children. Indescribable grace and mercy!

"He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins," Ephesians 1:7 (NLT).

Those dishcloths were much more than they would appear. It represented the way God has shown us to live in relationship with one another in the Body of Christ – with humility, trust, and love. They also represented grace, mercy, and forgiveness – highlighting the Covenant of God. Those dishcloths taught me life lessons. Every hole signified a fruit of the Spirit, teaching me how to live. Who would have imagined so much truth could be woven into such a simple gift – dishcloths, knitted and given with love?

“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church” - Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)

Music? From Bryn's selection, “Over and Over” LIVE. Click on the picture to listen.