Denver Water has been digging up the streets around the church for what feels like forever. In reality, it has been going on for close to a year. This digging underneath the surface is in order to address something that needs attention. They have been digging in order to remove and replace old, lead pipes that will negatively impact drinking water if left in place.
The whole Denver Water project is like a picture of our lives. It is like a living metaphor, every single day, for those of us who live in Platt Park. There reaches a point where you simply cannot ignore what is under the surface anymore. So very often you and I have things going on “under the surface” of our lives that we try to ignore. If we ignore these things for too long, they will eventually rise to the surface, usually causing bigger problems.
The digging, the repairs, and the work always seems to take soooooo much longer than we had hoped. The process is often soooo much messier than we plan. The patience required to address what lies below the surface is grueling work. Most days we wish we could just have our streets back, even if that means ignoring problems that need addressing.
So it is with our interior lives. God is so patient with us. May we have the patience and courage to not ignore what is under the surface. May we allow the love and light of Jesus to be our guide in excavating those tender places that are in need of care.
Simone Weil says, “Compassion directed toward oneself is true humility.” I pray God will give us this sort of humility as we face the things that need tending under the surface of our lives.
Susie Grade 