Two Swans

One Sunday morning I was on my way to church. The sun was shining and the autumn leaves were gently falling all around. Near my church is a small lake and as I turned to look in the direction of the lake I saw two swans. Their pure white color was brought out even more because of the orange colored leaves surrounding them and their long necks stretched upward toward the sky. My first thought was of the story of the "Ugly Duckling". For most of my life I have felt like that ugly duckling. I felt ugly on the inside. As the week went by I talked with my brother and we discussed Colossians 3. The closer I looked at Colossians 3 the more the Holy Spirit showed me that the verses that were before me went along with the "Ugly Duckling" story.

In Colossians 3 it talks about the old way of living, the old nature. The one that with its unholy desires, greed, covetousness and impurities. The one with sensual appetites and sexual vices. As I read on the verses told me I was to rid myself of anger, bad feelings toward others and slander. These were not longer to be part of my life. I once walked and lived this way and was addicted to such practices. Reading again these verses made me realize this is what was making me an ugly duckling. I had not gotten rid of these things. I was living as if I was not a Christian. The Holy Spirit went on to show me that if I clothed myself every day with the new spiritual self, which is ever in the process of being renewed and remolded into fuller and more perfect knowledge of the One who created me,that I was and will be no longer the ugly duckling but the beautiful swan. The new spiritual self make me special in God's sight. I can be beautiful because of what the Lord has done for me. Dying, rising again, and He will be coming back for me if I don't go to Him before He comes back.

How beautiful the swans were and how beautiful God's Word is. Now I can honestly say, " Thank you Father for creating me."


"In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you."   Colossians 3:10 (NLT)

[ by Bonnie House -- from 'Themestream' -- Ed:Anon ]