Veneer

---

Chances are that while reading this, you can see a piece of furniture in your house that is covered with a veneer. Veneer is used to make a beautiful, flawless finish on an imperfect core product. For many years plywood manufacturers have employed the use of it. It consists of a very thin layer of wood which is shaved off a log in large sheets, sort of like unrolling a roll of paper towels. It is then applied with glue over a product of lesser quality to make a beautiful finish product. It is very useful and used almost everywhere. A veneer is strictly to provide a beautiful surface and provides little to no strength to the product, which is left to the core product which may be from pressed paper, compressed sawdust, or plywood.

Plywood is made by gluing layers together similar to veneer, until you have the thickness you desire. In many cases, it is stronger and straighter than natural wood. However, usually the layers are not suitable for a furniture quality product, unless covered by a veneer.

Sometimes there are imperfections in the veneer so they may put a patch in. This usually does not look very good unless covered with paint. It is best to hide those patches in an inconspicuous place where they will not be noticed.

These manufactured products can be good and would be very difficult to do without. However, there is nothing like solid wood. Solid wood is highly sought after in the furniture market. Manufacturers use it as a marketing point, even though the product may be made from wood products such as plywood. Solid wood has a natural beauty. It may have some small knots of imperfections in it which only adds to its natural beauty. Of course that may depend on what it is used for. Sometimes, it may have natural weaknesses or imperfections that are not suitable for every application. Yet, it is still the real thing through and through.

Now that I have rambled on for awhile about wood products, I would like to switch to people. I had a doctor’s appointment the other day, and my lady doctor had eye shadow, lipstick, and other facial enhancing products on her face. I wondered if it was just the look of the day, or if she was covering up some insecurity. She was a kind considerate person, and very helpful, taking time to answer my questions. However, I wondered if she was covering up some personal insecurity. Did it make her feel more confident? Was she going through a difficult time in her life and needed to try to cover up the reality of the cracks in her life, or was she made up like she has always done? Maybe you do not look at people that way.

Perhaps all of us have somewhat of a veneer that we show to those around us. We may try to hide our imperfections by our lifestyle, being loud, or feigning indifference, depending on our personality.

It is human nature to put our best foot forward, figurative speaking. My family says I have my normal voice, and then I have my messaging voice. I do not notice the difference but they know me and immediately recognize it. This is not bad but can be a good thing. If I always showed on the outside what was happening inside, well, it would not always be good. Many people are like ducks, calm on the surface, while furiously paddling underneath. Everyone appreciates a genuine person. Someone who is real to life, and accepting of themselves for who they were created to be. Humble and excepting of those around them.

Many people have a veneer that hides what is lying just below the surface. In fact, some have quite a hard exterior, that resembles the hard surface of a countertop which is impervious to moisture. Some may be like a granite, cold, hard, and vacant of emotion, unmoved by others or their surroundings. Others constitution may be as thin and fragile as ice on a frosty morning, easily broken. Behind the thin veneer, may be a mass of old wounds and disappointments, making them very vulnerable to the outside world. Their sensitivity may be on high alert to any sign of danger that could fracture their covering. Their trust is low, and they will only take people into their confidence after they are completely sure they are trustworthy. Mostly, it’s not their fault, but just the same, theirs to carry. They may often feel misunderstood and also be misunderstood, as they grapple with inner conflict. Thankfully, by the grace of God, they need not remain in a hopeless, helpless condition. By compassion for themselves and from others, the door of healing can be opened, allowing the warmth of God’s love to begin to warm them from inside out, thawing the ice that surrounds their heart. It will take work but it is possible. In the end true healing is a gift from God.

There are other examples we can draw from. I already made reference to countertops. Some are made of a thin hard surface, much like a veneer, covering a product made of compressed sawdust. This is fine and economical, as long as no moisture can get to the pressed sawdust. If so, it soon swells up underneath and eventually ruins the top. Many of these products are created to look like granite, or marble. However, over time they age and lose their nice look. They get full of scratches and scars from use and may even lose their color, because their beauty is only surface deep.

Some people are similar. Once their hard exterior is breached by adversity, their life tends to fall apart. They do not have the inner strength to withstand the storms of life, because they have their confidence in their outward covering, instead of the inner strength.

Throughout the daily wear and tear of life we will all get scratches and injuries that will need healing. At times our joy will fade and we will need renewing. Life is a great learning ground. It has a way of taking us through some real purification which will teach us what we are really made of.

A life that has found healing through the grace and power of God, reminds me of a solid surface countertop. They are the same through and through. What you see on the outside, is the same on the inside. When they develop scratches or scars from use, a little sanding and polishing can fix them like new. This reminds me of God’s care and healing. It does not mean that there will not be painful memories, feelings of being misunderstood, and maybe even outright hurts. It just means that we know the healer who can mend the brokenness. It may take a little time and care; some sanding of the Lord to remove the newly acquired cuts and scrapes. But let us never forget, God is always faithful, in his time.

There are others which life’s experiences have hardened, making them unmalleable. The unhappiness they have lived in has made them bitter through and through. At one time they may have hoped things could be different, but life and circumstances have taught them otherwise. They may lash out, inflicting their inner pain on others or they may withdraw into themselves. Their cynicism has frozen them inside, without hope of anything better. God would like to set them free from that cold dark tomb. If they would give him half a chance, he would shine the warm sunshine of his love into their hearts and thaw the winter snow. Yet that means becoming vulnerable and that is exactly what they cannot seem to do. Fear of being hurt again, has frozen them in its clutches. It keeps the windows and doors shut tight, insulating themselves against any warmth, even human love. It will take a miracle, but miracles do happen. Hearts that are cold can beat again. Tears and brokenness can be mended.

Personalities also play into this mix. Some are of a sensitive nature, taking everything personal, while others are less attached to their feelings and more practical. Some push on ahead with little regard for the feelings of others, doing whatever it takes to accomplish what their mind has set out to do, little knowing they just ran over someone in the process. Others are timid and would never hurt a fly, afraid they will make a mistake. They may be sitting and brooding over what others have said, while the others have long forgotten the had a conversation. Such is life, many different people, and mixes of temperaments and personalities. None of them are perfect, it takes all kinds to make the world go round. Love, humility, and compassion make up the components of the oil between people to ease the friction. There will be differences, and injuries will happen; that is part of life. If we apply this soothing oil to those around us, injuries will be minimized, and healing expedited.

This is the world we live in. The trouble is, we may never know who these people are, and may increase their troubles without us realizing it. We often relate to people in the only way we know how, which is from the way we view life. This should not cause us to be fearful, but it should cause us to take care and be sensitive of others lives. This by no means gives liberty to be hurt and become offended. It simply means that we should be humble and compassionate to all people. This can best be accomplished, by following the Golden Rule, looking deep inside to recognize our own vulnerabilities, and being submitted to God.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 KJV

At different times in my life, I have found myself in many parts of this narrative. One thing I can assure you is that God works miracles. He makes all things beautiful in his time.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27 KJV