Recently, my husband bought me beautiful red roses. As I was trimming and arranging them, I kept getting stuck by thorns, but God began to show me a wonderful truth in this situation.

The roses are symbolic of human beings. Each of us is beautiful in our own way; we are beautiful, because HE made us in HIS image. But even in our beauty, none of us are perfect. We have faults, and like thorns, occasionally hurt ourselves and others. In nature, plants often use thorns as a defense mechanism to keep predators from eating them. I believe this also applies to humans. Each time we get hurt, we develop “thorns” in an attempt to keep others at bay. It doesn’t make us any less beautiful in God’s eyes, just as thorns don’t make roses any less beautiful. Honestly, I don’t notice the thorns until I get hurt by one. But no matter how often I get hurt, it doesn’t change how I feel about them.

The good news in all of this is, our “thorns” don’t change how God feels about us, either. To Him, we are beautiful no matter how many thorns we have. His love can soften any heart, break through any defense, because He loves us despite our faults. We are no less precious in His sight, and He will never love us less than He does at this moment. In Him, there is no hopelessness. He can heal our brokenness if we allow Him to do so. In Him, there is life and life more abundantly: John 10:10 – The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. (AMP)

 Humans are one of God’s miraculous creations, and His love for us is never ending, never failing and never diminishing.  I’m so thankful for that.