I have a book called “City Scapes.” It’s a collection of photos of Chicago alleys. Alleys! Those are the nasty roadways that run behind buildings so they can haul away the trash. An alley is where you walk a dog or wash a car. The front or street side of a house is always nice to look at, carefully designed. It might be built of fancy face brick with limestone trim. The back or alley side of a house is purely utilitarian. It might be made of common brick–not very nice to look at.

Frankly the view from the alley is often ugly. So why would anyone take pictures of alleys? Because they are interesting. They’re where life really goes on. Kids play basketball there. Elderly ladies take short cuts to the stores. The fruit and vegetable man drives through in his truck and the junk man passes by with his horse and wagon shouting, “Rags! Old Iron!”

Metaphorically, God sees us from the alley view. Oh, we put on a good show like the front of a house, but God doesn’t care about the side we show to the world. God encounters us the way we really live our lives, and sometimes that’s not so nice to see. But here is the great surprise–God loves us anyway.

Ever learn this verse of “Jesus Loves Me”?

Jesus loves me when I’m good,
When I do the things I should.
Jesus loves me when I’m bad
Though it makes him very sad.

God sees it all and loves us still.

Read Romans 5:8 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne