Scraping, wire brushing, and painting fences are hard work yet rewarding. Outside, in the stillness, space is held for my mind to wander. Being road front, every ten minutes or so, a car goes by. During a three-hour stretch of working, a variety of vehicles passed by.

On a day the sun was out, the temperature practically perfect, a few motorcycles zoomed past. With harvest season still in full swing, several semi-trucks filled with corn roll by on the way to storage. Some cars honked, and I waved, not knowing if I knew them or not. One lady, living a mile down the road, rolled her window down and yelled as she passed, “You’re making progress!” 

Off and on, I piece on the fence as time and weather allow. I don’t necessarily enjoy the elbow grease that goes into the restoration, but I appreciate the finished look, taking pride in the project. One section of the fence that faces the pasture has taken a brutal beating from the northern winter winds. The paint was peeling and required a lot of extra care to prep for paint. The fence truthfully looked worse after scraping and wire brushing away the old paint and dirt. Stripping the layers off left an unappealing mix of old paint and bare boards. 

Wanting to get fresh paint on the fence as quickly as possible, I knelt down and opened the can of paint. With the fence robbed of dirt and peeling paint, it was hardly attractive. I thought I needed to paint the side facing the road first. After all, that is what everyone sees. Naturally, I thought improving the appearance of the outside was of utmost importance. Stirring the contents in the can took a bit longer than I thought. Through the mixing, I felt a sudden urge to deviate from my original plan. 

Why did I want to paint the outside first? Was I too concerned about what others would think if they saw the unpleasant look? Against my natural instinct, I forced myself to paint the inside of the fence first. It felt wrong and yet so right. In the company of only a two-inch brush, I felt the weight of my thoughts intrude on the task at hand. 

Painting the inside first is hard to do. It’s as if all of the effort goes unnoticed. No one will see it or appreciate it, but the boards need to be sealed from the inside out to ensure protection from the elements. Convinced of my own needs, I smiled to myself as I continued improving the inside of the fencing before tackling the outside. 

I’d be mistaken not to acknowledge God’s presence in the paint. Doesn’t He want us to take a good look at our insides? Are we too focused on the appearance of ourselves and our lives? Do we mask our true selves by painting the outside first instead of doing the hard inner work? 

Everyone has hurdles, hurts and healing that our insides are begging us to strip and re-paint. We don’t need to cover up the outside just to look a certain way. When we care for our souls, inviting Jesus to nurture each shortcoming, weakness, and wound, He will paint us from the inside out. A transformation of the heart is felt inside and shines outward.

As time and weather allow, search your heart. Focus not on what others see but on what your heart needs to reveal the healthiest side of you. The progress is being made from the inside out, one board at a time. We are all a work in progress. 

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose” Philippians 2:13 

Contact Ashley at ashley@tippgazette.com

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Tippecanoe Gazette

Attn: Ashley Spring McCarroll

PO Box 84

Tipp City, Ohio 45371