The Colors of the Church

The Colors of the Church

A new devotional The Colors of the Church looks how just as each color in a box of crayons is unique and performs a specific role in coloring the world so too are God’s people – each unique and designed by God to provide a special role and color to the world. 

THOUGHT:

There is a wonderfully playful yet contemplative children’s book entitled: “The Day The Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt.  At first glance, it seems only to be a whimsical way of teaching “colors” to little ones.  Yet, the message is much deeper for everyone, especially us, supposedly “grown-up” children.  The premise is that disaster would ensue if purple couldn’t color grapes or if red wasn’t around to color roses or even beige wanted to leave and couldn’t color wheat.  Oh my!  Each crayon has a specific role to play and when one of them is missing, or worse – quits – the picture cannot be complete.  An incomplete masterpiece is only a “piece” of the whole, the good, or the fullness of life. What if the church felt like that?  What if certain person(s) or sanctions felt that the only way to solve anything was to quit?

In recent years, we, the congregants of the United Methodist Church, have faced and are still confronting this challenge.  Some churches, because they do not fully agree with a part or parts of the UMC, have decided that leaving is the only option.  Instead of working together with others or discussing options, they feel compelled to start a whole new picture.  So, if RED feels overworked because there are a lot of red things to color, or PURPLE wants to be more than grapes (how about a purple duck?), or BEIGE feels neglected in some way, or even worse…..some of the colors don’t like other colors because of what they look like on the outside or more importantly, who God made them to be on the inside of the wrapper, then………..what?  Quit? Leave?  That solves everything, right?

I venture to propose that if crayons can learn to live in the same box, so can we, as United Methodists, as citizens of the world, and most importantly, as Gods’ children.  Each of us is made PERFECTLY.  We’ve all heard the expression – “God don’t make no junk.”  There may be differences in intellect, color, age, ability, preferences, choices, stances, etc., and many more issues.  Yet, what masterpiece of a spring meadow would be complete if the lightness and frivolity of green was missing?  What masterpiece of an approaching storm would be complete without conservative and ominous gray?  What masterpiece of a newborn baby would be complete without the gentle, loving shades of pink or blue? What masterpiece of a sunset would touch the soul if not for the importance of orange bursting forth in its’ ostentatious fervor?  Each color, each crayon, has a purpose and a personality.  If you tamp down the boldness of red, you no longer have red but pink.  Would a firetruck look as welcomed on the scene of a conflagration in pink?  What if green had no yellow traits in it?  You would be left with blue celery?  How about a white crayon?  If color is added to make it “better” – then how do marshmallows melt into chocolate for s’mores? 

Not only can we not change colors without demolishing their purpose, but we also need to recognize the beauty of their traits – all by themselves.  Oh, how each of us, can appreciate, the golden “warmth” of a timid sunrise sneaking into the window at our first wake, or the refreshing taste of ice blue popsicles on our tongue on a sweltering summer day, or the excitement of a violet struggling to peek out from the spring soil, or the twinkling hazel eyes of our precious child, almost penetrating our heart.  Each color brings a different trait – conservative, liberal, bright, dim, bold, or shy.

Consider the following verses:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  —Ephesians 2:10—

The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.”  –2 Chronicles 5:13—

You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  –James 2:22–

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  –Romans 8:28—

In each verse, Gods’ Holy Word speaks of the concepts of unity, working together as a team with unique backgrounds and viewpoints, and not giving up when tough times arise.  He speaks of the importance of recognizing the special traits He instilled in each of His creations.  I rely on the knowledge that there was no cookie-cutter creation.  God, the one and only Creator, has the capabilities and the forethought to know how each person is made, who they are to be, what they are to accomplish, and how they are to be successful in this earthly life. 

If we do not recognize this in our God, and if we think we can quit only because someone has a different viewpoint or way of living, then are we standing in the face of God, accusing Him of assembly line mistakes?  I hope not.

I hope that we can see the positive in every person.  I hope we can see that they were made in the image of God, just the way God wanted them to be.  I hope we can appreciate that all of us, each one of us, are part of Gods’ team.  Loving Him and honoring Him with what he bestowed upon us is what He has called us to do.  I believe we can live in the same box.

PRAYER:  

Creator of the Universe, create in me a clean heart.  Help me to see all the colors of the world without judgement.  Help me to be a small part of the masterpiece on the canvas of your Creation.  Help our colors to blend together in order to demonstrate the beauty of this earth.  AMEN.

WE HOPE THE COLORS OF THE CHURCH HAS BRIGHTENED YOUR DAY.

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