Looking Up at the Post Office

As I was waiting in line at my local post office recently, I looked to my right and did a double take. I was directly in the path of a man with a camera aiming at something to my left above a wall of shipping supplies and a greeting card stand. 

I stepped out of the way and noticed the subject of his photography was a beautiful mural high on the wall (pictured above) that I had never really paid attention to before.

He smiled broadly and took quite a few photos, explaining to those of us in line that during the Great Depression, many post offices across the country received murals like this one through government art programs designed to bring beauty, history, and hope into everyday public spaces. Many were painted by people who had won art competitions that were open to all artists across the country.

He was clearly enjoying every detail of the mural.

Two others in line, locals like me, admitted they had never really noticed it before either, and one gentleman said he was going to go home and tell his wife because he was sure she would love it.

I walked away with a new appreciation for my local post office and a better understanding of some of the history quietly sitting there all along.

I also walked away reminded of why I do what I do here at Hymns Illustrated.

When a believer sings a hymn with understanding, something deeper resonates. A hymn you may have sung for years suddenly becomes more personal. A phrase stands out. A story connects. A biblical truth shines more clearly.

Of course, the Holy Spirit is at work in all of this. But He often uses hymn lyrics and hymn stories to help those truths settle more deeply into our hearts.

William Cowper described it this way: “Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings. It is the Lord who rises with healing in His wings.”

Every hymn story shared, every lyric explained, and every biblical truth connected has the potential to help turn on a light for someone else — a teachable moment as I like to say.

So this week, remember this lesson from the post office: something meaningful can sit quietly in front of us for years until someone helps us stop, look up, and truly notice it.

If you teach children to sing hymns with understanding, thank you. Your impact is greater than you know.

By the way, one of my favorite "light surprising" hymn stories is the one attached to Anywhere with Jesus.

Yes, the connection to chocolate is a big part of the surprise. But another aspect of this "light" to me is how the original hymn story continues and also how my own mother taught her first grade class this hymn and it became special to several young hearts.

Watch the hymn story below or read all about it here.

Want to watch more hymn stories like this? Check out our hymn story library!