Crusty Edges

By Bea Edwards

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties;

and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139: 23-24  NKJV

 

Do you love the edges of the bread cut off your sandwich? Some say the crust contains nutrients. Others say it is wasteful to throw away the edges. I say, there’s nothing quite like a spongy white or squishy brown interior that makes whatever you smash between it taste so much better.

Some people have what we might call a crusty exterior. They have a tough, hard shell that is difficult to get past. They frown more than they smile and their tone of voice seems gruff and harsh. Often we find them unpleasant to be around. Perhaps you know family or church members who fit into this category. Perhaps you have a teacher with a crusty exterior. We might describe those people as “difficult to love.”

Our lives are a little like a slice of bread. The tough outer crust is our sinful nature. The soft springy inside is how we become when we ask Jesus into our hearts. So, the next time you come across someone with a crusty exterior, say a prayer for them. Then, ask Jesus what kindness YOU might show to help remove those tough exterior edges.