Back in 1979 we had been living in Sabetha, Kansas for 3 years, but were about to move to Wichita. Shari was 7 months pregnant and we had no idea if it would be a boy or girl. The Church wanted to host a baby shower for us before we left. Shari was opening gifts and everyone was commenting that they hadn’t known what to buy, something in blue for a boy or pink for a girl. About that time Shari heard one of our older ladies comment, “Well, I don’t know why it’s that way now because it used to be the other way around.” We thought that was the strangest thing we had ever heard. Everyone knew it was blue for a boy and pink if it was a girl. Guess what? WRONG!
It turned out that older sister in Christ was spot on correct. For generations, even centuries, blue was the color for girls. Just do a search on the internet for “virgin Mary” and you will see quickly why that is the way it used to be. Almost all paintings of virgin Mary show her wearing at least a blue shawl or wrap. It wasn’t until after WW2 that the colors switched. Hard to believe, but true.
However, the greatest “hard to believe, but true” is the ADVENT.
Before the creation of the world, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit looked down through all of time and saw the horrible doom that awaited humans. Even though they were to be created in God’s image, those humans would choose sin. A plan was devised to redeem them, the one and only plan, the divine scheme of redemption; no plan B.
The plan had 5 parts: 1- the ADVENT of the Son, His incarnation, into the lost and dying world; 2- His willing, sacrificial death on a cross for the sins of humanity; 3- His victory over death through His bodily resurrection; 4- His ascension, His return to His Father; 5- His final return at the end of time, to separate His faithful followers from the rest of humanity and to take them home to the special place He prepared for them.
Hard to believe? YES. But true? YES.
To which group do you belong? The “hard to believe” group either chooses not to believe the plan or they say they believe it, but do not live a faithful life on Christ’s terms.
The “but true” group says that they believe it and each day they live a faithful Christian life, which proves that they truly believe it.
How about you? Which group do you say you are in? Is God’s opinion the same as yours? Since God can read hearts and He never lies, which group does God say you are in? His opinion is all that counts.
The next time you stumble across something that is hard to believe, but ends up being true, remember what the greatest “hard to believe” thing is. Then either rejoice for what awaits you one day or realize that it is time to believe that it is true and live accordingly. God bless.
