|
 "For the LORD seeth not as man seeth: For man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart." 1Samuel 16:7
This week we read the story "You Are Special" by Max Lucado. The Wemmicks were small wooden people. Each of the wooden people was carved by a woodworker named Eli. (The Wemmicks represented us and the woodmaker represented God) Every Wemmick was different. (God made us different. Not one is exactly the same)
Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the village. And all day, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing: They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking stars or dots on one another. (People judging one another and forming different opinions about you- about your weight, how smart you are, talents etcl...)
The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got stars. But if the wood was rough or the paint chipped, the Wemmicks gave dots. (Many judge by our outward appearance) The talented ones got stars, too. (Many judge by our talent or some special ability we have) Every time they got a star it made them feel so good (It feels good when someone says something good about you) Others, though, could do little. They got dots. (But it feels BAD when someone says something bad about you) Punchinello was one of these. He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. (Do you try to do things to impress others?) And when he fell, the others would gather around and give him dots. (Do you hate it when people make fun of you?) He would try to explain why he fell and say something silly, and the Wemmicks would give him more dots. (Sometimes when we try and make excuses it only makes things worse) After a while he had so many dots that he didn't want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him another dot. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and give him one without reason. "He deserves lots of dots," the wooden people would agree with one another. "He's not a good wooden person." (Some people are so quick to put others down or to cast people out) After a while Punchinello believed them. "I'm not a good Wemmick," he would say. (If you hear it enough you might start to believe it) The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of dots. He felt better around them. (And you may get depressed and just feel like giving up) One day he met a Wemmick who was unlike any he'd ever met. She had no dots or stars. She was just wooden. Her name was Lucia. It wasn't that people didn't try to give her stickers; it's just that the stickers didn't stick. Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But it wouldn't stay either. 'That's the way I want to be,'thought Punchinello. 'I don't want anyone's marks.' So he asked the stickerless Wemmick how she did it. "It's easy," Lucia replied. "every day I go see Eli." "Eli?" "Yes, Eli. The woodcarver. I sit in the workshop with him." "Why?" "Why don't you find out for yourself? Go up the hill. He's there." And with that the Wemmick with no marks turned and skipped away. "But he won't want to see me!" Punchinello cried out. (Do you think that because you've stumbled and gotten a few marks that he's mad at you or doesn't want to see you or talk to you?) Lucia didn't hear. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other stars and dots. "It's not right," he muttered to himself. And he resolved to go see Eli. (Have you made up your mind to go see God? When will you go to the one that made you?) He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tiptoes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard. "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. (It's sometimes a litttle awkward coming to God for the first time. It's intimidating to come into the presence of God) Then he heard his name. "Punchinello?" The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped. "Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you." Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. "You know my name?" the little Wemmick asked. "Of course I do. I made you." (God knows your name. He knows everything about you) Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. (Did you know if you come to God he will reach down and pick you up?) "Hmm," the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles. "Looks like you've been given some bad marks." "I didn't mean to, Eli. I really tried hard." "Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think." (People can say all they want to about you, but God doesn't care what others think about us ) "You don't?" No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots?
They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special."
Punchinello laughed. "Me, special? Why? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?" (Do you know that God sees you as something very special, even though you might not see why) Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. "Because you're mine. That's why you matter to me." (How important are you to God? Zech 2:8 says " ...for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye" and Matt 18:6 says "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea.")
Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this--much less his maker. He didn't know what to say.
"Every day I've been hoping you'd come," Eli explained. (God is waiting right now hoping you will come to him)
"I came because I met someone who had no marks." (Christians are the people with no marks on them)
"I know. She told me about you."
"Why don't the stickers stay on her?"
"Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them." "What?"
"The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers." (When you give your life to God, only Gods opinion is the opinion that really matters, no matter what others think or say about you)
"I'm not sure I understand."
"You will, but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care." (The more time we spend with God the more we will see that God is the one we to impress and try to please, not people) Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground. "Remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes." (You are not an accident. You are special to God and he made you for a reason) Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think he really means it."
And when he did, a dot fell to the ground. (Once you truly believe and trust God, you will understand that we ought to please God rather than man)
Trackback(0)
|
Middle School 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
