Colors of Hope

 

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If you are in a part of the country where the leaves turn color, this is your time of year!  Part of the many reasons I enjoy the season of autumn so much is the changing of the leaves.  I know there is a very scientific reason for the change from green to yellow, orange and red.  Yet, I tend to believe in the miracle of such a thing.  There are days when the leaves seem to slowly move through the hues of fall.  There are other days when I wake up and they seem to have changed before my eyes.

The beauty of the leaves comes from the sturdiness of the tree.  The strength of the trunk provides the nutrients necessary for each branch to bear leaves (and possibly fruit).  Yet, it is not the trunk that provides the change in color, it is the sunlight and temperature that brings about the change.  The chlorophyll breaks down, the green dissipates, and the colors shine.  It is an amazing process.  If the sunlight and the temperature are not exactly right, the colors are less vibrant.

It reminds me of the importance of having Jesus in my life.  How so?  When I have walked through my life without the sunlight of Jesus, my own personal colors could not shine through.  Thinking back to when I strayed from my heavenly Father, my life lacked meaning, my vibrant happiness had faded, and my hope was gone.  The more I tried to enhance my life with ‘other’ things, my life became very dim.  During these times, I felt as if I was living in a life of grey.

Turning to my Jesus not only provided the hope I needed during those times, but it also provided the color I needed to let God’s light shine out to others.  Holding onto Jesus takes my life from grey to yellow, orange, and red.  It helps to provide the world the colors that only Jesus can give us.  Maybe it is the yellow of friendship, the orange of generosity or the red of love.  Any color given to others is Jesus working through us. 

Take the time, my friend, to turn to Jesus and gain strength from him to give colors to the rest of the world.  Let the colors be as vibrant as autumn leaves.  Let the colors fall from you onto those around you, softly gracing their lives with friendship, generosity, and love.  Let Jesus work through you to others.  Sometimes, our colors are the only thing we can give others – give with passion.  We never know when our colors will land on someone’s grey day.

Dearest Jesus, thank you for providing us the colors we need in our lives to give to others.  Work through us so that kindness reigns and our hope for tomorrow comes through your Word of today.  Bless us Jesus.  Amen!