Who Wants A Dirty Rose?

There is no one, NO ONE who wants a dirty rose. I mean, think about this. Someone gives you a bouquet of white roses for your birthday. You're all excited, because you know they're coming. They hand them over, and they're missing leaves and petals. They're more brown than white, and they wilt more than stand up. You smile a fake smile, and muster up the most genuine "Thank you" that you can choke out. But you know as soon as you get home, you're going to throw them away without another thought.
No on wants a dirty rose.
So why do we allow ourselves to be dirty? If God were looking at us as roses, He wouldn't particularly want a dirty rose.
But guess what? He does.
He looks at that rose, and says, "I love you."
He doesn't choke out a fake thank you, but He genuinely says, "Thank you." And means it. He takes us dirty roses, and makes us beautiful, makes us new.
I've made a lot of mistakes. Obviously. Humans are sinners. No sin is bigger than another to God. We've all messed up. We're all dirty roses.
But God picks those roses up, and smiles. He loves those roses. He will do everything in His power to make those roses new again. He will water them everyday, let sinshine get them, let the wind and rain get them, but all the while protect them. He will play them Mozart, if that is what it takes.
But the problem is, us dirty roses have to let him. We have to swallow our pride and say, "I have done wrong. I need your help to be beautiful again." God cannot make us new and beautiful until we allow him to. We have to let go, and let God.
And I'm very guilty of holding on, and saying, "God, just let ME do this. I know I can." And He will let us. And then we end up dirty again. And even though we turned our backs on Him before, He'll plant us again, watch us grow, and make us beautiful.
THROUGH GOD, and ONLY GOD, we are made new.