The Bigger Picture
Let’s say someone you love drew you a picture. You could tell he put time and care and resources into creating this gift specifically for you. You hang it on your refrigerator, front and center, and each day it reminds you of him and your relationship.
The picture stays on your fridge for months, years even. Over time the magnetic surface accumulates other things: photographs and coupons, flyers and news clippings, grocery lists and appointment cards. Soon you can hardly see the picture because of all the clutter around it.
Or let’s say you’re wandering in the woods simply enjoying the beauty surrounding you. Eventually you come to a point where nothing around you is recognizable, and you realize you are lost. Suddenly the trees lose their intrigue and seem to be closing in on all sides, each one blocking your escape.
Like the hidden picture on the fridge, “you can’t see the forest for the trees,” meaning you have lost sight of the bigger picture because the details have clouded your vision.
Often I feel burdened by extras, the details of life and faith: it’s almost like I’m trying to de-convert, removing layers of doctrine and dogma--one tree or one magnet at a time--so I can see the amazing picture behind it all. The simple, unadorned picture that God Is and God Loves.