Sorting our shapes

fiestatoystore.com

One of my client's came in with his son today.  We have a family room with some children's toys, so I brought my client and his son into that room for our session.  After handing me the two pieces of paper he drew as gifts for "Teve," he began playing with the toys while my client discussed his life since his last session.

After the 30 minute session ended, my client was helping his son clean up while I set up our next appointment.  I saw one of my favorite children's toys: the shape sorting cube.  This is the toy where children (or some childlike adults) find the correct sized shape and insert the shape into its proper hole.  The square goes in the square shaped hole, the triangle in the triangular shaped hole and so on.  I love watching children's faces when they fit the right shape into the correct hole.  If I look at just the right moment, there is a flash of pride and contentedness that comes over the child's face.  This momentary capture of nonverbal communication brings a sudden rush of joy to my heart.  I have found that this is my favorite moment in all of ministry - the moment when it clicks for people.  They suddenly realize Jesus is really the Christ, that sexual immorality will only destroy relationships, that they must honor their wives, that they must support their husbands, that discipleship is a way of life and not a Sunday morning obligation, etc.  How wonderful!

Something that is equally as exciting to watch, though a bit more challenging, is the frustration that a child portrays when he cannot seem to find the right shape.  It begins with just an attempt to place the square in the triangular hole.  After this attempt quickly fails, the child then tries a little more forcefully.  "Get in there!" I can almost hear.  After this failed second attempt, we hit the banging stage.  "If I only try hard enough, I can bang this square into a triangle and it will work!"  Depending on the temperament of the child (dare I say, the temperament of his or her parents as well), he or she may then begin to cry, to give up or to revise the methods and try again.  Nevertheless, no matter how hard the child tries he will be unable to force the square shape in the triangular shaped hole.  It is often at moments like these that a loving parent may step in and show the child the proper way.  Better yet, a parent may watch and allow the child to learn for his or herself, allowing him/her the satisfaction of individual achievement.

I find this moment wonderful because it causes me to reflect upon my own spiritual blindness and immaturity.  How often do I try to bang a square shape into a triangular hole in my life.  The times that God has designed for intimacy with Him I fill with hobbies.  I have tried to shove the alcohol shape and the pornography piece into the cross shaped hole in my heart.  I banged academic success and a longing for financial stability against my heart and wept like a baby because my methods would not work.  There were times when the Lord would run to my rescue and gently guide me in the right direction.  Other times, I would reap the awful wages of my sin resulting in death and pain (Romans 6:23).  I would then return to the Lord and in His mercy, He would relent from sending calamity and restore my soul (Joel 2:12-13).

Proverbs 16:9 reads, "The mind of a man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps" (NASB).  This verse allows for us to plan our way, but we must submit to the Lord as He directs our steps.  There is nothing wrong with having a Holy Spirit inspired plan, but we must not force into existence.  As we wait upon the Lord, we ought not to fill this hole with others things: money, sex, career, success, possessions, fashion, or even ministry.  Sit back.  Relax.  Ask God to teach you what shape belongs where.  The Christian life is interesting in that we start with the destination (Jesus) and now we journey onward towards whatever good works He has planned in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).  We ought to stop shoving the wrong shapes into a cross shaped hole.  True story.