I love hands. They give a partial reflection of who a person is, where they have come from, and often where they are going. Hands can build up or tear down. They are instruments for good and bad. Holes in the Lord's hands made Thomas believe. Raising your arm and hand in a certain fashion can represent a regime or respect. Men have thick, solid, rough hands and fingers. Women's hands are more slender and delicate. My family's hand's are typically dry and always in need of moisture. Jewelry on your hands may be the simply that -- jewelry-- or the symbol of a bond that is greater than what it symbolizes. Having someone stick up the middle finger on their hand may infuriate you. Hands are used to soothe and to punish. To pray and to work. Hands tell your age. As we use them nearly every moment of every day, hands are vulnerable, but strong and resilient. Short nails. Long nails. Painted nails. Dirt under the nails. Soft hands. Callused hands. Dirty hands. Shaky hands. Short pinkies. Long ring fingers. Palms large enough to grip a basketball. They all say a little bit about us. In this day and age, a significant portion of how we communicate is completed by our hands creating words that may last forever. Sweet music. Deafening screeches. Good poetry. Bad poetry. Terrible poetry. Hope. Joy. Fear. Love. All communicated through your hands. Think about all the things that you do with your hands and how dramatically different your life would be without those ten fingers and two palms.
The hand holding mine in this picture has been a source of great support over the past 4 1/2 months. They have played some incredible music, held me up when I'm feeling down, wiped the tears from my eyes, encouraged me through rough times, helped me relax, made some delicious food, and spun me around in dance moves that are nearly perfected. Those hands are just reflection -- but only a partial one -- of the person that I love dearly.
But guiding both hands in this picture, and guiding every hand of every person, are the hands of the Potter, carefully shaping and molding our every moment and being. Everything we are able to do with our hands is a gift from the Potter, and everything we do with our hands should be a gift back to Him. And if we do, the reflections of ourselves that we find in our hands will hopefully someday reflect the hands of that Potter.
