Proverbs 27:19 NKJV

[19] As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.

I grew up in a shop surrounded by relatively "tough" men. Most of them used foul language and coarsely joked. It wasn't the kind of environment you would necessarily want to raise a kid in, but there I was (along with my brother). What my brother and I got to see was not what the world saw.

Behind those rough exteriors were good hearts and genuine relationships. Our dad lacked a lot in the spiritual leadership department. The example he did set before us was a good man doing his best... the best he knew how. His heart was good. His flesh was broken.

God does things in ways that we cannot understand. He takes the broken things and makes them beautiful in His own way. Our dad wasn't perfect. The men we grew up around weren't godly men, but God's goodness could be seen in many of them. I know I am far from perfect myself. My prayer is that my heart will reflect the goodness of God and the work He is doing in me.