Does a New Coat of Paint Change Who You Are

It was a beautiful setting. I’ve been told it’s the South Fork of the east coast. Rolling pastures. Cattle, Old Trees. Wonderful and large main house.

Side note – I think those who connected it to South Fork were referring to the TV production’s image – for the ranch itself in the Dallas suburbs isn’t really what TV made it out to be. Now back to the story.

So, as shared earlier this week, I did a wedding. Let’s move away from my nom de plum error and talk about the venue. Rolling pastures. Cattle, Old Trees. Wonderful and large main house. Sunset was over the lake. So much of God’s wondrous creation. And the indoor setting for the wedding party prep, rehearsal dinner, and wedding reception was wonderful. Decorated in dusty rose and terracotta colors. A wonderful Autumn wedding setting for a delightful couple starting a new part of their journey together.

Statistics show weddings are moving away from church venues. Vineyards and farms are leading the preference list. Some older churches, with stone masonry or the little white church feel are still popular, but with so many places of worships now in theater style, converted Piggly Wigglys, or meeting in homes, I can understand why weddings have moved to alternate sites.

I hope it is not that marriage is seen less a sacred act and more of a social event – but with society’s attempt to redefine marriage, that probably has a lot to do with it as well.

But this wedding – this venue – this … place. It was not built for weddings. It was built for cattle auction. Yes, bidding off of heifers and stud bulls for profit and cattle population growth. Hey, maybe it is a lot like weddings of old. (Did I say that out loud?)

So an auction barn, where thousands of bovine were bought and sold. A stable type setting. Now it has a new purpose, a new way of making the owners money.

I was told they rejected the idea, they wanted to keep its original purpose. But then … Covid hit. Auctions went online. Video and internet made the physical site unnecessary. They could accomplish their trades without having to ever use the auction barn. And on a visit to an out of state site, another farm, they learned how important venues can be for weddings.

I started to think – God has changed us too. We are new creations, the old has passed away. Oh yeah, I still look like a troubled soul, searching for hope and purpose – but I found it. And forever I am changed. People that knew me before, they may still see the jerk, the selfish prat. And while I may still struggle with some old ways – I have been changed, and am still being changed.

What am I?

I am a new creation – one still in the process of being made into what my Savior has for me – but still a new creation.

Don’t see the old. Look past the history. It’s not about what was. I’m new, because God made me new.

It’s not the paint – that can be faked.
It’s not the name on the door – that can be our own doing.
It’s not because we bring about change – for we will mess it up.
It’s because God is working in me – to make me into the image of Jesus! He has and is changing me. And that is the reason I am a new creation.

He can do the same in you.