To Refinish

by Shana Rank
 
It has been years since I sat on that couch and chairs in my grandparents’ basement. The pieces are antique, and include an early American cane-back sofa and matching chairs. I always remember the set looking well-made and historically interesting — not incredibly comfortable, but that could always be improved. I inherited these three pieces, and they now sit in my garage.  They have worked their way up from the basement, and are presently a new shade of white. I have big plans for these pieces of furniture, and plan to refurbish them completely.
 
Instead of completely stripping and refinishing the wood, I opted for sanding and painting. The labor would be less this way, and I wanted to keep the cost of this project to a minimum. Something interesting has happened in the last month. Since being painted, the dark brown stain from this 100 year-old furniture is seeping to the surface, so instead of white wood, there are areas of pink. Not so good.
 
I can’t help but think about the spiritual parallels of my situation! I chose to skip an expensive step in this project—refinishing. Instead of stripping the wood down to its base, I thought I could cover up the old with a new glossy white paint. It makes me wonder when I ask God for forgiveness, do I fail to follow through and change my behavior? What am I glossing over with a fresh coat of paint? I can take this example of my furniture project as a friendly reminder–to always refinish my behavior completely.