Category: Christian Allegory

Putting the Pieces Together

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Entering the living room with my baby in my arms, I turned to my 2 year old. “You asked if we could do a puzzle earlier, and I said not right now, but now we can do a puzzle if you want.”

My 2 year old lit up. “Okay!”

He hurried to fetch the puzzle.

I attempted to put my baby in his bouncy seat, but he fused. He was having one of those “Mommy hold me” days.

I’d just have to work on the puzzle one-handed. How hard could that be? 

My 2 year old placed the puzzle on the table and climbed onto a chair.

I helped him open the 100 piece bunny puzzle.

“Now, first we put edge pieces over here and middle pieces over there. See? This is an edge piece. It has a straight side.”

I knew the piece sorting was still a bit beyond my son’s comprehension.

My 4 year old daughter entered the kitchen.

I smiled at her. “Want to help us with the puzzle?”

She frowned. “No… Well, just for the sorting.”

With my daughter’s help, we soon had the pieces sorted. 

She wandered off to the living room.

I shifted my baby to the other arm.

My son was trying to put two totally unrelated pieces together.

I knew I had to act fast before he became too discouraged. 

I sifted through the edge pieces finding several for the grass at the bottom of the puzzle.

I spotted two that should fit. I put them together. Good.

Taking the pieces apart, I passed them to my son.

“Here. These two go together.”

As he turned his attention to them, I slid the mismatched pieces away from him.

It only took him a moment to connect the two pieces I had passed to him.

He reached for the closest piece and began trying to make it fit.

I turned my attention back to my pile of pieces.

Finding another that would fit with his pieces, I passed it to him.

While he worked to attach that one, I strained my brain to line up five more pieces. Rather than connect the pieces, I slide them in front of him.

“Here. Put these ones together.”

I paused to stretch, then was back at it.

It took a lot of quick thinking to keep my son supplied with connecting puzzle pieces.

As we neared the end of the puzzle, my daughter came to help us finish.

By the end of the puzzle, my brain felt fried, but I had a happy 2 year old and a completed puzzle.

Later, I paused to reflect on how much work it was for me to put together 100 perfectly fitting pieces.

How much greater is God who is piecing together all of history!

God is orchestrating all things into a cohesive, marvelous big picture story, even while giving me free will to make choices.

As Paul taught in Acts 17:24-27:

“The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth… He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. He did this so that they might seek God…” (CSB)

When I read the whole Bible from cover to cover, this becomes more apparent.

What a beautifully intricate and incomprehensibly complex puzzle God has woven together, and He doesn’t feel worn out from this work (unlike me with a measly 100 piece puzzle).

What an incredible God we serve!

In the midst of that, I get to be a part of helping put the pieces together as I make choices day by day.

Sometimes, like my 2 year old, I try to put the pieces together the way I want.

I grab two totally unrelated pieces and try to force them into place.

I don’t know they don’t belong together in the big picture, but God knows.

As I submit to His guidance in my life, God passes me puzzle pieces that do belong together.

I get to partner with God in putting them together, though in truth, He is the mastermind behind it all.

He shows me what role He wants me to play. I am simply to obey.

Whether that is inviting a neighbor to church, writing a blog post, praying for a co-worker, volunteering at church, or helping a friend in need. It is also in the bigger choices I make: who I marry, where I live, what job I do.

As I ask Him to guide me in these things, I join Him in building a part the big picture story.

How incredible that God, the Master Puzzle Maker, invites me into the process of helping put the pieces together!

May I be faithful to follow His instructions.

Broken Crayon – Daddy Fix It

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

“Draw. Draw.” My toddler begged.

I reached for the crayons. “Okay, we can do some colouring.”

She helped me get some paper and our mini colouring table.

I passed her the open crayon box. She took a blue crayon out, then handed a green one to me.

“This one is for me?”

She pointed to one of the papers. “Mama draw.”

“Okay. Hmm… What should I draw? I know. I will draw a circle.”

As she scribbled on the page, I drew a circle. I added two eyes, a triangle nose, and a mouth to the circle.

“Look, I drew a cat.”

“Kitty! Ear.” She reached over and scribbled blue where the cat’s ear should be.

“Thanks for giving my cat an ear.”

Taking the crayon box, she exchanged her blue for a different crayon. This crayon was orange, but when she pulled it out, she noticed something.

“Broken.” For a moment she looked about to cry.

“That’s okay,” I tried to reassure her. “You can still colour with it.”

She stared at the two pieces of crayon in her hand, then tried to put them back together. It, of course, didn’t work.

She turned to me confidently. “Dada fix it.”

I was tempted to laugh, but her little face was so serious and confident.

“Maybe Dada will fix it. You can ask him when he comes home.”

She nodded and repeated her words. “Dada fix it.”

Setting aside one of the pieces, she happily returned to her colouring with the other broken piece.

This was only one example of the many times I have heard those words uttered from her lips with complete confidence.

“Dada fix it.”

When she saw a ripped book, she was concerned, but then told herself, “Dada fix it.”

When she saw an upholstered chair that had long ago been shredded by cat claws so that it now was adorned by a blanket. She was sad, but then decided. “Dada fix it.”

The faith my little girl has in her daddy’s ability to fix things has shown up many times.

Sometimes my husband does indeed fix whatever it was that was broken. Other times he does not. Yet still she remains confident of his ability to fix anything.

What about me? Do I believe that my Heavenly Father can do anything?

Do I really believe what Mark 10:27 tells us?

“Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.'” (CSB)

Now just because God can do anything doesn’t mean that He will.

Yes, my husband could technically fix the broken crayon. He could melt the two pieces and reform them into a whole new crayon. Did he choose to do this? No. Instead, we taught our little girl to be content to work with what she has. Broken crayons still colour just fine. Indeed, a few months later, she often sought out that broken crayon as one of her favourites to colour with.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (CSB)

God can do anything, and He wants us to bring our requests to Him.

He will not always do what we ask or want, yet He still wants us to ask Him, even if the thing seems too small to bother or too impossible.

Nothing is too impossible for God.

Today, may I truly believe that God can do the impossible, and may I bring my requests to Him.

As I do so, Philippians 4:7 will become mine. (I’ve included verses 4-7 for fuller context.)

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 CSB)

Infrequent Watering

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

I stepped into the kitchen. Time to make supper.

My eyes roamed the room as I pondered what to make for our evening meal.

The plants on top of the cupboards caught my attention.

I frowned. 

My spider plant was looking pale green and wilty. My pothos was drooping. My Christmas cactus appeared to be handling the man-made drought reasonably well, but it wasn’t thriving.

I needed to water them. It had been far too long.

The problem was, they were up high, beyond my reach, unless I climbed on a kitchen chair.

I heard the pitter patter of little feet behind me.

My 2 year old entered the kitchen. The very 2 year old who had pushed a chair to the kitchen counter to pull a bowl out of the cupboard all by himself the other day…

I glanced at the top shelf plants with a sigh. They’d have to wait until later. I wasn’t foolish enough to set an example of climbing on a kitchen chair to reach something even higher in front of my son. Who knew what mischief he would get into, bolstered by my example?

I would have to remember to water them later, once the kids were in bed.

Setting my concern about my plants aside, I turned to my son with a cheery smile.

“Let’s find something for you to do at the table while I make supper.”

Why do I bring up this scene? Because it has an important reminder for me, and perhaps you will find it valuable as well.

When I picture my walk with God as a plant, I am reminded that I need to be intentional to water my plant.

If my walk with Jesus isn’t receiving enough water, it won’t thrive. It will wilt.

True, water isn’t the only factor needed to make plants thrive. They need the right amount of sunlight, good soil, and nutrients.

Perhaps having my heart in the right place – humble and trusting God – can be represented by the sunlight a plant needs. Without sunlight, no amount of watering will make a plant grow. Likewise, without my heart in the right place my walk with Jesus will not function.

That said, a plant will not grow and thrive without regular watering no matter how perfect the other factors are.

The plants on my top shelf show this clearly.

Indeed, it is especially evident when you consider my spider plant.

My sister gave me my spider plant from her larger plant. At the same time, she gave a spider plant of the same age to my mom.

My mom’s spider plant has been well watered. It has been strategically placed to receive the right type of light.

In contrast, my poor spider plant is up on a high shelf so the kids don’t get it, and it has certainly been under watered.

My mom’s spider plant is thriving. It is lush green, much bigger than mine, and beginning to reproduce.

My plant is smaller, often pale, and nowhere near ready to reproduce.

As with these spider plants, I must be watering my walk with Jesus if I want it to grow and thrive.

So how do I water my relationship with Jesus? Bible reading, Bible teaching, prayer, singing praise, and fellowship.

I need to be intentional to make it a regular practice to read or listen to the Bible for myself.

Finding Biblically sound Bible teaching pastors to listen to or read books by is also incredibly valuable. (One of my favorites is Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel.)

Spending time in prayer – conversation with God – is vital. Someone once equated prayer to breathing in order to convey just how essential it is to spiritual life.

There are many ways to pray. Praying by oneself or praying with others. Praying for practical needs, praying for spiritual growth, and prayers of praise for who God is. Taking time for each of these can refresh and strengthen my walk with God. 

Singing worship songs (even more than just listening to them) helps turn my focus back to Jesus.

Fellowship is time spent with other Christians. Encouraging and being encouraged by each other – serving and being served. Discussing the things of God.

Regular attendance at a Bible teaching church covers most of these elements, but once a week is not enough.

I am not a cactus that only needs occasional watering.

I need to be watering my walk with Jesus daily, even better if hourly.

This can looked very different in different seasons of life. Making regular habits can help me consistently add water to my walk with Jesus.

Some possibilities include reading my Bible first thing, or listening to a 5 minute devotional (like this podcast by David Guzik).

I can build in regular times of prayer for my family, missionaries, and prayers of thanksgiving. On top of that, I can find a couple of friends to meet with regularly to pray for our church, community, and country.

Today, may I seek out one more way to add water to my walk with Jesus and begin to make that a regular habit.

 

What are some of your regular habits that water your walk with Jesus? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Illuminated Trees

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

With a sigh, I sank into the rocking chair in the quiet room.

What a busy day. The older kids were finally in bed and nearly asleep now.

Alone for the first time all day, I let my eyes scan the scene out my window. The sky behind the house tops and trees carried the deep blue of a recent rainstorm.

My gaze shifted to the room around me as I turned to prayer for discernment regarding an allegory to write next.

When I turned back to the window, the trees caught my attention. They glowed!

The sinking sun behind my house shone brilliantly on the trees, making them stand out vividly against the dark sky.

Just like that, I had an allegory to write. (This one that you are reading now.)

Those trees, so ordinary to me because I saw them every day, stood out now in unmistakable beauty.

I noticed one of the many chimneys visible from my window glowing in stunning sharpness. The rest of the chimneys remained their typical grey and steel.

I pulled out my phone to record these thoughts.

When I paused to look out the window again, lower clouds had drifted into view. They were illuminated against the dark clouds.

An airplane flew by, gleaming in the sunshine.

What a lovely scene.

A few minutes later, the trees faded into typical shades, boring compared to what they had just been. Yet the sky behind them shone cheery pink in the setting sun’s rays.

So what is the allegory, you may be wondering.

To me, this scene of stunning contrast is a picture of how God so often speaks through the Bible.

As someone who has read the entire Bible many times, no passage is brand new to me.

Just like the trees outside my window, the Bible stories, at first glance, are normal.

I should mention that, on the average day, it is not uncommon for my husband and I to comment to each other how pleasant the scene outside our window is with trees and sky, chimneys and airplanes. That said, it is very routine for me to see this scene.

Likewise, reading God’s Word is precious and wonderful, an incredible privilege. Yet I have read it before. It isn’t shiny new.

This evening, however, looking out the window, those trees looked new. They stood out stunningly in the brilliant light of the evening sun.

So often, this is how God speaks through His Word, the Bible. He shines His “Son-shine,” if you will, on a passage making it jump from the page in a way I’ve never noticed before.

The passage comes alive.

If I never took the time to look out the window, and left the blinds closed, I would not see the illuminated trees.

If I never took the time to read the Bible, but left it closed on the shelf, I would miss what God wants to say to me through it.

If I only ever approached the window as a to-do task – to clean the window pane and wipe the dust from the sill – I would very possibly miss seeing the beautiful scene outside.

If I only ever read the Bible to check it off my to-do list, I may or may not notice what God is wanting to say to me.

Indeed there are many days when my Bible reading feels like no more than a task to get done. (This is far better than not opening it at all.)

But what if today, I remember to pause as I go to open my Bible, to ask God to tune my heart to His by teaching me something as I read the Bible.

It may not be fireworks or lightning, but far more often than not, if I slow down, turning my attention towards God as I open the Bible, He has something to teach me.

Oftentimes it is a gentle reminder, or sometimes a new depth of understanding. Occasionally it is a vivid instruction.

Yet how would I hear and learn unless I opened the Bible and began to read?

Likewise, how would I have seen the brilliant trees outside my window, if I had left the curtains closed?

“Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 CSB

Today, may I make time to seek God through reading the Bible. He will meet me there.

If you are new to reading the Bible, I highly recommend starting with the book of John.

 

If you are looking for a Bible reading plan, or simply a way to record which chapters you’ve read, I encourage you to print out a copy of my DIY Bible Reading Plan. It’s free for my subscribers. (Already subscribed? Click the Free Downloads link in your email and then scroll down until you find the Bible reading plan).

Heel Pricks

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

The nurse stepped into our room.

“How’s baby doing?”

I glanced up. “He’s starting to stir. Likely he’ll be hungry soon.“

She took a moment to study our newborn as he lay swaddled in the bassinet.

Next, she turned to the monitor screen showing his heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.

She checked his IV line. It was still running smoothly.

She turned to us then. “The doctor has ordered some blood work. I’ll have to prick his heel to get 25-30 drops of blood so they can check to see how he’s doing. Are you okay if I go ahead with that?”

My husband and I glanced at each other and nodded. “Yes, go ahead.”

The nurse put a little heat pack on our son’s heel and got to work preparing what was needed.

A minute or two later, she turned back to our newborn.

She took the heat pack off and examined his heel. He already had a few scabs from previous pricks, but she found a new spot.

He was awake now and starting to look for food.

When the nurse pricked his heel, his little face scrunched up and turned red. He began to cry.

The nurse squeezed his heel to get one drop of blood out of his foot and then another. She skillfully collected the sample into a little tube.

I pressed a soother into my newborn’s mouth, but to little avail.

“It’s okay,” I told him. “It’ll help them get you feeling better.”

But he didn’t understand.

He continued to cry – a heart-wrenching newborn cry.

The nurse continued her work.

Finally the nurse had collected enough blood to be able to send it for testing. 

Dodging cords from his monitors, we changed his little diaper, and I picked him up for nursing.

He calmed as soon as I began to nurse him.

We breathed a sigh of relief.

– – – –

Why would we allow someone to intentionally hurt our little guy who had no idea what was going on?

That wasn’t the only time we okayed something that hurt him either.

Even in the first 24 hours of his life outside the womb, my husband gave permission for nurses to do blood work.

Our little boy cried hard each time his heel was pricked. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew something hurt. 

Why would we, as loving parents, allow and even encourage someone to hurt our baby?

Because we knew it might help.

You see, when our little boy was born, he was having difficulty breathing. It was bad enough that they admitted him to the hospital NICU.

After a couple of days on a CPAP machine and oxygen, our son had improved some, but then began to show signs of infection, including in some of his bloodwork. When they put him on antibiotics, he quickly improved.

He had to remain in hospital until his antibiotics were completed because they were given by IV.

What a relief when we could take our baby home with us after a week in the NICU! He transitioned home so smoothly that you’d never know he had needed that extra care.

(A quick shout out to say thank you to the NICU team for their incredible care for the precious little ones in their unit. It was amazing to see the work they do.)

Why share all this? Because my husband pointed out a powerful allegory in the midst of it.

He, as a loving dad, allowed the nurses to prick our little boy and make him bleed. Why? Because he could see the big picture.

My son didn’t understand. All he knew was that something hurt. He couldn’t have even told me that it was his foot. He just knew that something hurt and he didn’t like it.

My newborn did the only thing he knew to do. He cried. 

Did I rebuke my son for crying? No. I almost felt like crying right alongside him. 

Instead, I sought to comfort him and, in a sense, to join him in his suffering.

In comparison to God, I am like my little newborn. 

I am small and helpless.

I do not understand the big picture.

I feel it if something hurts me – oh boy, do I feel it!

I typically have no idea that there might be a purpose behind the pain, nor of what that purpose might be.

God is good, and God is love. He is at work behind the scenes orchestrating everything for His glory and for the good of those who love Him. (Rom. 8:28)

When a heel prick comes in my life (indeed it is when, not if), how should I respond?

First, I find time to take my crying to God.

Just as I didn’t rebuke my newborn for crying, God welcomes me to tell Him how I’m feeling. He cares about me.

If I feel the need, I can even ask God, “Why?”

More likely than not, God will not tell me why on this side of heaven, but I can still ask. 

Then I move on to surrender the whole thing to Him, trusting that He is in control and knows what He is doing even if I don’t know why. 

I turn my eyes upon Jesus. I remind myself of who He is: all-mighty, all-knowing, good, loving, and interested in the details of my life.

While all that is good and deeply valuable, on a practical level, what should I do when my heel is pricked? When grief or unknowns make me stutter?

In the words of Elizabeth Elliott, I “do the next thing.”

I determine the next thing to do, whether that is make supper or pack a hospital bag, and I do it. Sometimes I have to be even more specific when finding the next thing to do: peel the onion… Put a phone charger in the hospital bag… Once that’s done, I can do the next thing.

“Wait for the Lord and keep His way…” (Psalm 37:34)

Next time I have my heel pricked, may I remember to take my emotions to God, to surrender and trust Him, to remind myself who God is, and to do the next thing.