Appalachian Disciple

Part One

             So, I’m homeschooling my fourth child, and by now I’m a little thin on crafts.  I don’t want to dismiss them entirely, but over time I’ve decided that less is more (or to be more specific:  less crafts = more sanity.)  Nevertheless, in an effort to give my son some experience in this area, we undertook the Trojan Horse made of cardboard and popsicle sticks.  I’ve made this with previous children, so to minimize the aggravation, I did a great deal of the prep work myself. 

First, we read the story and discussed it at length.  Then I found the cardboard and cut it to the right dimensions, located the popsicle sticks, fashioned the hidden compartment in the body of our “horse,” and fought with the double-sided gorilla tape.  My son showed up to attach popsicle sticks to the cardboard as I coached his arrangement.  Actual shears had to be employed from the garage to trim these sticks into shape.  Finally, I gave my son the part that was all his own — decorating it.  I gave him a basket of markers (which were sure to all work, because just last month I had sorted through them and tossed the dried ones.)  He applied himself with gusto to this task, carefully choosing colors, doing his best, covering his hands and clothes as well as the horse in marker.  And he was so proud of his creation, of his good work!

A few days later, I’m reading this:  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10, emphasis mine)  Wow! 

Let’s think about this: whose work was the horse, really?  Well, it was my idea, my materials, my design, my construction.  Yet I prepared it so that my son, having done the little bit of which he was capable, could claim it as his own.  His craft.  His good work.  And we were both happy.

In the same way, every good work God puts across my path has been carefully prepared beforehand by Him!  The only reason it’s any good is because of His preparation!  It’s going to work because He determined long ago that it would and put all the pieces in place to make it happen.  I just show up, put the sticks wherever He points, and choose the color scheme.  It’s His good work actually, prepared for my involvement.  He knows my capabilities and these works are adapted to them.  Believers, this is great news!

Part Two

As I ended that reflection written some years back, I knew in my heart that it is great news; it should be great news! But I also had to admit that if it’s such great news, why aren’t we more joyful about looking for and walking in those good works?  Why do we sometimes drag our feet on God’s assignments to us?  At the risk of stretching this analogy too far, I present here some ideas on that, based on my children’s reactions to crafts over the years:

· I start with enthusiasm, then lapse into despair when it doesn’t turn out like the picture, or as good as the sibling’s next to me.

· I start with enthusiasm, then abandon it for distraction by other things.

· I take one look at the instructions and decide it’s too hard; I can’t do it.

· I take one look at the instructions and decide that I have a better idea about what should be done with these materials and get to work on my own project.

· I regard it with indifference and give it the bare minimum of attention.

· I regard it as an unwanted, unchosen assignment foisted upon me, that serves no purpose of mine, and proceed with resentment.

· I ignore it completely and hope Mom doesn’t notice.

If I’m not doing the works God has given me to do, why not?  Do I not believe Him that He’s created me for the works and the works for me — that it brings Him so much glory when I just trust Him and do the thing?