Saturday, April 10, 2010

Square Peg, Round Hole

How many of you are familiar with those old baby toys that have shapes and whatnot all over them and you have to put the shapes in through the right spot?  I'll bet you are.  In fact, I have learned in the last year (has it been a year already, you ask?  YES, it has!) that most baby toys are essentially some variation on that basic concept.  You've got a shapely peg and a shapely hole, and they must match up or else you won't get the result you desire.  The idea is to teach babies shapes and, to some degree I'm sure, spatial reasoning. 
Well I was hanging out with Avery and Ryleigh about two months ago.  Avery, the cool little kid he is, was playing with one of those little shape toys.  This one was a box, and the lid had the shapely holes that you're supposed to place shapes through.  Well Avery had removed the lid and started hitting me in the head with it.  All I could think to say was, "Silly Avery.  I'm not a square peg."  It was good for a laugh at the time, but it got me thinking. 
I'm NOT a square peg.
Now that's an obvious statement, and I'm sure you are equally aware of this fact.  But let me finish the story.  That same week, or maybe the week before, I'd gone through a period where I was questioning God's plans.  They weren't turning out like I thought they should.  I was telling God, "But this isn't right!  This isn't how things are supposed to go.  What do you think you're doing?  Why won't you listen to me?"  I thought I knew what God should do.  I thought I knew what was best, and I was sure to tell God.  But that afternoon, I got to thinking.  I'm no more going to fit through that square hole than I am going to fit into my plans like I think, unless they are also God's plans.  We can try to force ourselves through that hole, and we may get through it, but it's gonna hurt and we surely won't be in the shape we were before.  Just remember, God knows what shape peg we are.  Square peg, square hole.  Let him show you where you belong. 
PS.  We're all supposed to be a different shape.  You'll be happiest when you let God show you where you belong.  I promise.  I'm gonna try to be more regular with my postings.  Now that I'm done student teaching, that should help.  See y'all later!