A Lesson from a Clam

"bring hidden things to light"

Job 28:11

I was out with some friends last night, at a planning meeting for an upcoming event, and after we were done with the agenda, we got to chatting.  Of course. 

The topic turned to the different things people find revolting (one person can't stand spiders, another is not fazed by them, etc.) so naturally I shared my family's experience with dissecting a clam yesterday, and how my poor girl was even more icked out by it because she's allergic to them, so it kinda doubled her nervousness.

But then someone asked curiously, "So, is there anything in there?"  I knew what she meant:  of course there is something in between a clam's shells, but is there anything identifiable?  Is what's in there really more than just a blob?

So I shared how interesting it was.  I mentioned some of this yesterday, but there was the foot, and the siphons, which are where water enters and exits.  There are two sets of gills, which are quite distinguishable from the rest, actually.  There are the muscles, where it attaches to the shells.  There is the mantle, which becomes the shell, little by little.  The rings on a clam's shell are actually growth rings, that indicate its age.  I didn't know that before.   And then, of course, there is its heart and digestive tract. 

My friend ~ and I, frankly ~ assumed that all that was inside a clam's shell was a pinkish, squishy globule.  But there's more there than meets the eye. 

Therein lies the lesson.  "More than meets the eye".  A reminder that we know so much less than we think we know. 

I saw a friend last night, at Bible study.  A sweet, wise, very gentle friend, whom I've known for years.  We made eye contact as we were walking towards each other.  We weren't headed to talk; we each had something to do, we were just gonna pass each other on the way.  And I don't know what she was thinking about at the time, but as she made eye contact with me, she was positively glaring.  She looked upset with me.  But then we passed each other and as we did, she smiled a little and said hi. 

She had just been deep in thought.  Difficult thought, as I found out later.  But if I didn't know her as well as I do, it would have been easy to assume that she's a grumpy person.  I might have avoided her if I didn't know that her "resting" face is sometimes dour looking, even though she's a lovely person.  She laughs frequently, with a lovely smile, and she's a very caring woman who goes out of her way to show love.

Reminder #1:  There's more there than what meets the eye. 
Reminder #2:  Only He knows. 
Reminder #3:  Don't judge, don't judge, don't judge.

Oh, and #4?  Check out a clam when you get a chance.  God's done some amazing work in there.

~ "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,

the One who is able to save and destroy.

But you ~ who are you

     to judge your neighbor?" ~

James 4:12

~