As I played with the picture, I marveled at how quick it was (in some ways) to move a snippet here, change the shading there or completely change the look with special effects editing. I think we often wish we could put our lives into an editor. We'd snip off the mistakes, shade the bad decisions and manipulate the circumstances so that we'd end up looking our best. If you don't believe that look at someone's resume or check out the latest in plastic surgery and surgery-free alternatives.

We're constantly nipping, tucking, manipulating, shading and even forgetting. All in an effort to seem better than our hearts tell us we are.

The truth is that all that manipulating, maneuvering and touch up doesn't really change anything other than perhaps a superficial impression.

Fortunately for us, God sees through all of that. There's no deceiving Him. He has a better plan. 

He doesn't want us superficially touched up. He doesn't want a spin doctor to gloss over our mistakes. He wants to make us new. He wants us to be born again.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:1-8 NIV

With Him, we're born again. The world might see all the warts and wrinkles, but God sees us as His newborn children. Like any other newborn, we'll fall and make mistakes, but we'll be under the vigilant eye of a heavenly Father who is molding the new us. In time the world and the people we know will begin to seee the difference in us and our changed lives.

With our faith comes transformation, not simple restoration of the old rickety foundation with it's falling plaster and creaking boards.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Ignore Satan when he rails about your past mistakes. Don't worry about those who can only see the "old" you. Don't try and repair the old foundation or touch up the appearance of the fallen house. Instead rejoice that He has made you new with the new birth. No touch ups needed.

Let God bring out the beauty in you!

The you He wants to use to change the world.

The you He loves!

The you only he can change!

The you your family, friends and God himself has been waiting for for so long.

Isn't it time let God do the work only he can do! 

No more touchups, manipulations, and shading! 

Rejoice, because today you are a new you!