The Velveteen Rabbit and Sanctification
When my kids were young, I loved having them curl up on my lap while I read the timeless classic, The Velveteen Rabbit. To this day, I still can’t make it through the entire story without tears falling down my cheeks.
If you remember the precious story, The beloved Rabbit befriends a well-weathered horse in Nana’s nursery, who helps him discover what it means to “become real.” The Old Skin Horse, with tussled fur and worn-off patches, has a reputation worthy of his tenure.
After some time in the playroom, the Velveteen Rabbit musters up the courage to ask the Skin Horse what it’s like to become real, for he knows deep down that’s what he truly desires. With poignant wisdom, the horse responds, “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, your eyes drop out, and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
“Does it hurt?” Asked the rabbit. “Sometimes,” The horse responds. “But when you are Real, you don’t mind being hurt.” The Skin Horse was always truthful.
Do you see the connection I do? The process of “becoming real” is spiritual. This timeless classic resonates deeply with me due to its striking resemblance to a believer’s journey of sanctification. Becoming who God created us to be is a lot like becoming Real—our real selves in Christ—as we leave our old life behind. We know that to remain dead in our trespasses… is to never entirely be alive. You and I need to be willing to endure the trials that rub our skin, bruise our egos, shift our focus, change our hearts, transform our minds, and chisel away at our pride. The rabbit understood that he needed to endure the pain of becoming to realize who he was meant to be and fulfill his purpose. As we pick up our crosses daily and follow Jesus, our goal is to become more like Him. Our hearts will suffer some battle scars, but those scars will point others toward the One who makes all things new.
Jesus changes us from one degree of glory to the next. It’s not easy, but the journey is worth the cost. Knowing the One who died a real death on a real tree and who was resurrected from a real tomb gives us a real sense of worth, value, and purpose.
When the Velveteen Rabbit became the boy’s chosen friend, he accompanied him to the garden, behind the raspberry thickets, under his bed with make-believe tunnels, and in the afternoon sun as it faded into dusk. His plush Velveteen fur began to wear, and his pink ears turned gray. The boy played with him endlessly, and the suffering of being loved to a shabby shape and losing his stuffing didn’t matter to the Velveteen Rabbit. His purpose was found in the joy of being loved by the boy. That is what made him Real.
The same applies to a believer's life. Sanctification brings joy because it brings us closer to the heart of our Father, who loves us.
