Photo Credit: Flickr.com
The Weaver’s Thread
Dejected, a spool of thread complained to the weaver, “Why do you bother with me anyway?”
“Because you are mine and I love you more than you can ever comprehend,” came the weaver’s reassuring reply.
Perplexed, the thread mumbled, “But I’m useless and unattractive; why do you care about me? And, what could you do with pitiful ‘ole me anyway?”
Leaning closer to the thread, the weaver whispered gently, “I know you don’t understand, but I want to make a brilliant piece of tapestry out of you!”
“Me?!” mumbled the thread.
“Yes, you!” was the weaver’s quick reply.
Even more baffled, the thread continued, “Just look at me…I am drab and dull; certainly, I could never amount to much!”
Gently picking up the thread, the weaver calmly said, “Pay no mind to how you look…you see, on the art of weaving, it is I Who wrote the book. I have created beautiful masterpieces out of threads who questioned their worthiness just as as you are doing right now, if not more.”
“But I’m a failure,” the thread retorted, choking back the tears. I am tattered and worn. How can you bring out any beauty from something as miserable as me? Besides, many a folk has said that I won’t amount to much. And they’re right. Failure, hopelessness and disappointment have been my closest friends. I am lost and despairing of life itself. I actually feel unworthy as I look; No! You can’t make anything beautiful out of me. You don’t seem to get it, but nothing good could ever come out of plain ‘ole me.”
Filled with compassion, the weaver softly interjected, “But you just don’t understand; in fact, you cannot understand. The imperfections that you see are not really flaws, my friend. In fact, what you see as unattractive knots and tangles are far from being signs of weakness or failure. The knots that you despise are the visible signs of your strength, courage, patience, and perseverance; and each tangle speaks volumes of your personal struggles, the obstacles you’ve overcome, and the storms you’ve bravely weathered. Indeed, each trial that you’ve walked through has been designed by Me to achieve a specific purpose for your ultimate good and My glory. Absolutely nothing enters your life that has not first been filtered through my omniscience and great love for you.
“Furthermore,” continued the weaver, “Your so-called imperfections add a certain refinement and uniqueness to My work; without them the fabrics I weave would not only lack luster and integrity, they assuredly would not have as rich a feel and look.”
With tears now streaming down his face, the thread sobbed, “I don’t understand why things have been so hard for me; I don’t believe what you are saying or how it’s even possible because I’m such a mess. Remember, I’m a failure!
Looking caringly at the thread, the weaver responded in a kind but firm voice, “What you see bears no resemblance to what really is.” I alone see all of you–your weaknesses and limitations, as well as your inner strengths and admirable qualities. What is on the outside doesn’t matter to me at all. Furthermore, My skill and techniques are not for you to discern. If your life had been as easy and smooth as you think it ought to have been, you would neither recognize nor appreciate the many blessings and victories that I have in store for you. In fact, had it not been for the adversities you experienced in the past, you would not be able to withstand the pressure I am exerting right now that goes unnoticed by you.
Trying hard to regain composure, the thread pleaded, “How can You be pulling on me now when I don’t feel anything at all?”
“That, My thread, is the secret” responded the weaver. “You do not feel anything right now because with every turn of My loom, your weakness has been replaced with more and more of My strength. And now you wax stronger than you’d ever give yourself credit for! I want you to understand something: When I am stretching and pulling you into my pre-ordained design, you will undoubtedly experience varying degrees of pain and suffering. But I also want you to know that the tears that you have cried are so your joy can be multiplied.”
Photo Credit: Flickr.com
“The time will come, precious thread, when you will emerge from the wheels of my loom as a beautiful fabric to behold. Now when that occurs, you may still believe you look and feel the way you used to. You may even still think that you are useless and unworthy. But it won’t be long before you clearly see that you have been transformed in this weaver’s master hands. Then, you will understand that the rough sections you had glimpsed on the loom’s underside were not because of the haphazard motions of My unsteady hands. Instead, you’ll come to see that they were the result of the perfect weaving sequence that I ascribed to your unique fabric, even before I set the world into motion.”
“You are so precious to Me that you’ve never escaped my watchful gaze. Rest assured that I have not once committed a mistake nor had a single slip of my fingers. Truly, not a moment has gone by that I have not lovingly watched over and cared for you. All you’ve ever seen are the twisted knots and tangles. But now that I’ve revealed to you the mere corners of your fabric from my perspective — from My side of the loom — you’ve exclaimed, ‘O this is so beautiful…how marvelously have you been fashioning me! If I could have but seen this side of my fabric some time ago, I would never have doubted you so.’
“Yet, I must gently remind you that My work is not complete. Although you can now see some of the beauty of your fabric, remember it is but a mere glimpse! Mark My words–you can’t begin to imagine how splendid your entire fabric is going to be someday!!! So for every twinge of pain you ever experience at My loom, take heart in knowing that you are always in My hands. The same carefully orchestrated process that produces the rough underside simultaneously produces the smooth, beautiful finish on the other side. Without a rough underside there simply can be no beauty!”
“Always remember that I have chosen to weave the fabric of your life with two distinct sides: You and only you can choose which side you will dwell upon. Should you choose to focus on the rough underside, you’ll see only the knots of your human frailties, the tangles of life’s difficult circumstances and the spool of a dark, bleak tomorrow; but should you choose to focus on the beauty of the other side — My side — eyes of faith will show you the fibers of the Weaver’s limitless love, the threads of His infinite wisdom, the loom of His unending grace and the brilliant tapestry of His blessings beyond measure.”
Leave A Comment