I’ve heard it said that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. And if you ask me – this couldn’t be truer.
I love finding free stuff on social media, and then turning it into something useful, or better yet – into a unique and personal gift for someone. Being able to look at something and see beyond its current condition to what it could be has always been kind of fun for me.
So when a gal nearby was trying to get rid of an old, very well-loved, scratched-up wooden rocking chair – I just KNEW I had to have it!
I saw that chair and imagined the beautiful wood hiding beneath all those layers, the character it would reveal, and the years of usefulness it might still have ahead of it. (I wonder how often we miss that same kind of beauty in people).
I knew stripping it would take hours, but I was ready for the challenge. I set up a table in the garage, covered it with cardboard to catch the mess, and got to work, very quickly discovering that refinishing old furniture isn’t quite as simple as putting on a fresh coat of paint. Before I could decide what the chair needed, I had to uncover what was already there.
So I started stripping the varnish.
And stripping.
And stripping some more.
There were layers of finish that had sat on this chair for many decades. Some of those layers came off easily; others were stubborn, and just when I thought I had finally reached the wood, I would discover another stubborn layer. Sound a little like our sanctification process to you? Yeah, it did to me too.
The varnish eventually came off, but there were little tiny nooks and crannies in between the spindles where my sander just couldn’t reach. With Amazon to the rescue, I soon had a little pencil sander on its way. And then… I broke my foot in two places and tore some tendons as well because – hey, go big or go home, right?!
Did I hear you ask how I did so much damage to my foot? Um, walking. Yep – just walking. I wish I could tell you that I walked in on a bank robbery in progress and single-handedly saved the day, (and you should see the other guy), but I’d be lying. And then I’d need to repent. So in the spirit of full disclosure and honesty, it was nothing exciting. I was just walking. Sorry if I disappointed you.
Okay, back to the chair story.
Anyway, my sanding came to a halt. But my fiercely loyal and generous friends Karen and her husband decided to intervene. They KNEW how stubborn I could be and suspected I’d be back in that garage the minute no one was looking. They took the chair and my new pencil sander and got to work. Ken tried and tried, but those stubborn little nooks and crannies were no joke. Eventually, the chair made its way to another gentleman at our church, who somehow managed to get into all those tricky little places and clean them up beautifully.
Sanctification is often a group project. 🙂
Weeks later, the chair came home. I put it back together, glued the parts that needed attention, and waited for everything to dry. Then came the staining!
It was so fun watching the chair become the beautiful piece I’d imagined. Unfortunately, I got a little overzealous with the finish, following directions from someone on YouTube who apparently didn’t really know what they were doing. (Not every relationship is good for our sanctification process).
Come on now… If you can’t say “Amen!” then you gotta say “Ouch!”
I called a friend who refinishes furniture regularly, and he explained how to remove some of the excess finish. More work. More sanding. More waiting. More drying. More patience.
BUT! I eventually finished the project, and that chair is beautiful—even with its imperfections.
Currently sitting in front of my fireplace, that chair now awaits the arrival of my three little grandsons who will be here in just a couple of months to enjoy their very first Christmas in Michigan, and I can’t wait! In the meantime, I can’t stop glancing at its beauty, knowing that I turned someone’s trash into what will likely be a beloved family treasure for many generations to come.
And somewhere between the stripping, sanding, staining, and redoing, God reminded me of something important.
Sanctification is the process of God working in us to make us more like Jesus. But I think we sometimes forget that this process looks different for everyone.
My chair needed certain things removed, some things repaired, and other things carefully preserved. The goal wasn’t to erase its history. Its age, character, and imperfections are part of what make it special. I wasn’t trying to make it a brand new chair. I was simply trying to restore it.
Maybe that’s a better way to think about people, too.
When we look at someone, do we see only their current condition? Do we notice their rough edges, their mistakes, their struggles, or the areas where they still have growing to do? Do we sometimes decide who they are based on what we see today?
Or can we look beyond the surface and recognize that God is still at work?
First Samuel 16:7 reminds us that people look at outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart. We see a snapshot. God sees the whole story – thank God!
God doesn’t ask us to pretend that sin doesn’t matter or that hurtful behavior is acceptable. But He does call us to humility, compassion, and grace. We can recognize someone’s imperfections without believing those imperfections tell the whole story.
Philippians 1:6 reminds us that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion. Notice that it says He will carry it on to completion. It’s His work, His timing, and His wisdom—not ours.
Sometimes God reveals a layer in my own life that I didn’t even realize was there – an attitude, a fear, a habit, or a way of responding to people that I’ve grown accustomed to, and suddenly I realize, Maybe this doesn’t have to stay.
That process can be uncomfortable. But God isn’t standing over us with a scraper, impatiently demanding that we become perfect overnight. He patiently works in us as we learn to trust, surrender, repent, and grow. And if God gives me that kind of patience, shouldn’t I extend some of it to others?
Now that my chair is finished, I’ve moved on to another project – an old elementary school desk that belonged to my great grandmother. I’m guessing it’s about 130 years old! Its refinishing process looks absolutely NOTHING like the chair’s did. It has entirely ifferent wood, different condition, different challenges, and a different approach because it’s a unique piece. Just like you and me.
God doesn’t work on every person in exactly the same way. Our experiences, struggles, gifts, and circumstances are different. We may be at completely different places in our spiritual journeys, and we can’t always see what God is doing beneath the surface.
So the next time we’re tempted to judge someone’s progress – or lack of progress – in their walk with the Lord, perhaps we should pause.
Instead of criticizing, pray. Instead of assuming the worst, give grace. Instead of focusing on what someone still needs to change, thank God for the work He is already doing.
As my pastor reminded us this past Sunday, we can pray and thank God for the work He is doing in the people around us. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. We are His handiwork, and He is not finished with us yet.
Maybe the person who frustrates us today is in the middle of a process we don’t understand. Maybe the qualities we haven’t yet learned to appreciate are waiting to be revealed. And maybe God wants to work on something in our hearts before we decide what needs work in theirs!
After all, sanctification isn’t about God making us into someone else. It’s about His faithful work in us as He transforms us to become more like Christ.
So let’s try to see people the way God sees them – not pretending they’re perfect, but recognizing they’re precious, full of potential, and still a work in progress.
And we should never forget that God saw us as worth redeeming long before the work was finished.
Beautiful chair