God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do
what pleases him. Phil. 2:13
Tucked away in the cedar chest of my memory is the image of a
robust ad rather rotund children’s Bible class teacher in a small West Texas
church. She wore black eyeglasses that peaked on the corners like a masquerade
church. She smelled like my mom’s makeup and smiled like a kid on a Christmas
when she saw us coming to her class. Low-heeled shoes contained her thick
ankles, but nothing contained her great passion. Hugs as we entered and hugs as
we left. She knew all six of us by name and made class so fun we’d rather miss
the ice-cream truck than Sunday school.
Here is why I tell you about her. She enjoyed giving us each
a can of crayons and sketch of Jesus torn from a coloring book. We each had our
own can, mind you, reassigned from cupboard duty to classroom. What had held
peaches or spinach now held a dozen Crayolas. “Take the crayons I gave you,”
she would instruct, “and color Jesus.” And so we would.
We didn’t illustrate pictures of ourselves; we colored the
Son of God. We didn’t pirate crayons from other cans; we used what she gave us.
This was the fun of it. “Do the best you can with the can you get.” No blues
for the sky? Make t purple. If Jesus’s hair is blond instead of brown, the
teacher won’t mind.
She taught us to paint Jesus with our own colors.
God made you to do likewise. He loaded your can. He made you
unique. But knowing what he gave you is not enough. You need to understand why
he gave it: so you could illustrate Christ. Make a big deal of him. Beautify
his face; adorn his image….. color Christ with the crayons God gave you.
Don’t waste years embellishing your own image. No
disrespect, but who needs to see you face? Who doesn’t need to see God’s?
Besides, God promises no applause for self-promoters. But
great reward awaits God-promoters: “Good work! You did your job well” (Matt.
25:23) My teacher gave us something similar. Judging by her praise for our
sketches, you’d think Rembrandt and van Gogh attended her class. One by one she
waved the just-colored Christs in the air. “Wonderful work, Max. Just
wonderful!”
I smiled the size of a cantaloupe slice. You will too.
Make a big deal out of God in your life.
… in everything that you do
… in everything that you are.
He
deserves nothing less.
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