“No one sews a piece of new, unshrunk cloth on old clothes because the patch tears away the cloth and makes a worse tear (Matthew 9:16).”
The Right Fit
By Scott Carlson
Recently, my wife and I were privileged to have an overnight with one of our grandchildren. Like so many grandparents, we love to hang with our grandchildren.
After a good night of sleep, as we were getting ready for the day, we realized that our grandson, who is growing so fast, had outgrown the pants that we had for him to wear. I looked at my wife and said, “I will run to the store to get some pants for him.”
Then I looked at my grandson and asked, “What is your favorite color?” Without missing a beat he said, “Rainbow”.
“Of course,” I said. “But is there one color you like a little more than others?”
He insisted, “No, I like rainbows.”
So, off to the store I went to find pants. Now it is a long time since I have been shopping for children’s clothes. After the first trip, I still didn’t have the right size. It took a second trip to get the right fit for the pants. None of the pants I found were ‘rainbows’.
It wasn’t until the third trip back at the store that my wife and I found a rainbow heart shirt with the phrase “We are Family” on it. We purchased it and can’t wait to give it to him when we see him next.
Sometimes, it takes time to find “the right fit” in life and in ministry. That for me is what growing in faith is really about. When we realize that what we have been doing doesn’t really fit all that well, I have come to see this as God’s invitation to learn, to go deeper, to grow deeper. I see this as a time to experiment, to keep going back to God and invite God to lead me to the new place God desires for me to be.
May God help us keep learning and growing, through this time when what we had doesn’t seem to fit all that well.
From Wesley’s Covenant Service
Lord, make me what you will. I put myself fully into your hands: Put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and with a willing heart give it all to your pleasure and disposal. Amen.