Buried Secrets

         

         I was reading about someone who disappeared forty-five years ago in the Great Smokey Mountains.  It seems reasonable over the course of time something would have been discovered to give some hint of what happened to him.  Apparently this hasn’t yet happened.  In fact, not only has this man never been found, but small planes have taken years to find and pilots…… sometimes never.  This isn’t unique to the Great Smokies, but all over the world.  People disappear.  Why? Where?  Who or what is responsible?

         It amazes me to know a mountain range can create one to three inches of earth every year.  According to experts even though the Appalachian Trail is one of the most traveled trails in existence, with the heat, humidity, leaf decomposition, underbrush and debris, if something, or someone goes missing, finding them can be challenging at best.  There is an eerie feeling the mountains bury secrets deep beneath the layers, daring anyone to find the hidden “treasure.” 

          Just like the mountain hides what is underneath the earth, we create layers in our lives in an effort to hide what we don’t want others to see.  We mask all those personality traits and behaviors we are sure others would not approve. We replace negativity with smiles and congeniality; abrasiveness with gentleness; meanness with kindness and insincerity with an air of authenticity for everyone who doesn’t know us well, to see.

         Sometimes we are successful to outsiders.  There are those close to us, however, who often see the real person we are on those days we allow the world and the evil prince of this world to bring us down.  We become crabby, insecure, short-tempered and sullen with those around us and forget to mask those things we don’t want the outside world to see. 

         Unlike the hundreds of searchers who look for days, weeks and years for the mysteries beneath the earth of missing hikers, planes or lost children, we aren’t ever hidden from a God who knows where we are no matter what our station in life, decisions we’ve made and circumstances we’ve allowed to control us. There is no where to hide!

         Our God loves us right where we are!  It doesn’t matter what debris, seeming decomposition or underbrush that hides us from the world, we can be found.  Scars from the thorns of life, mud that cakes us, or trails that led us down the wrong path are no match for God.  We can be found!

         I challenge you to become the person God wants you to be.  He created each of us to be special and beautiful with a purpose grander than our minds can comprehend.  He looks past all the dirt, grime, scratches, breaks and debris that is our lives and sees us as His pure child.  

         Buried secrets need not be a part of our lives.  The guarded layers we have allowed to cover us can be removed from our world and replaced with a beauty and peace beyond our understanding.  We are designed to be a light unto the world! I encourage you to let your light shine!