Fitting In or Not

When my children were toddlers, one of their favorite toys (and mine, too) was a plastic sphere-shaped toy designed to teach them how to sort things by their shape. Together we had great moments of fun with it by trying to fit each of the different shaped objects into its corresponding opening.

Every once in a while one of the kids would attempt to fit a shape into the wrong opening. For example, my son might try to fit a trapezoid shape into a hole designed for a rectangle. Try as he might he couldn't get the rectangle to take in the trapezoid. He'd turn it over and around, again and again to no avail. You can imagine his level of frustration as his sincere efforts failed.

My daughter would occasionally jump in and offer him a different piece - sometimes it fit and sometimes it didn't. (They eventually got quite good at it!) Gently I'd encourage them to examine the shapes a bit more carefully. Within a moment or two the shapes would find their proper home.

Once in a while they would resist my help, ignore the game's specific design, and attempt to force a shape where it obviously did not fit. As hard as it was, I'd leave them alone to figure out on their own. Sometimes they'd ask for my help but other times they'd stick it out and eventually get them all in. Each time was like the first time for them and with great enthusiasm they'd clap their hands with delight. Then they'd pop it open, dump all the shapes out on the floor, and start all over again.

Isn't that just like us? God created, gifted and shaped us all to be uniquely different.

There is no other human being on the planet whose inward parts are shaped, formed and molded to be expressly like yours or mine.

So tell me, why do we spend so much time trying to be like someone else? Why do we so harshly judge those who are different, who don't fit our specific mold of what a "proper church lady" looks like? God has given all of us something - talents, gifts and abilities - that He, Himself intended to enjoy in relationship with us for His good pleasure and for the purpose of edifying His Body, the Church.

That means I can be a goofy, crazy, serious, sometimes pensive, loud, outspoken, creative, dancer, writer me to the glory of God, fitting ever so rightly the shape He alone designed for me. I can home school...or not, dance...or not, wear pants...or not, wear my hair long...or not, wear jewelry...or not, dress up for church on Sunday...or not, wear a tie...or not,...and so on and so forth. I can do all that or be all that and not offend God as much as I might irk another brother or a sister.

Yes! Yes! Yes! There is a time and a place for everything under the sun. Period.

My challenge is this: Will I dare today to focus more on my own heart before a Holy and Righteous God than I will on any other thing? Will I bravely endeavor to go where I have not gone before in relationship with the Savior of my soul? Will I run, laugh, leap, dance and pray with the abandon of One who is in love and loving it every step of the way?

Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't we go there together? Take that first step with me. Allow God to give you new legs, new arms and new feet to praise Him! If you decide to go there with me, meet me at the merry-go-round with your dancing shoes on!

"And He took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God."--Acts 3:7-8

Stephanie

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An "instrument of change" in the Redeemer's Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America's Keswick as Woman of Character Program Administrator.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 1:22-25
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.