A Rug and Lots of Questions

Sometimes I ask myself lots of questions. Today was one of those days… And I thought I’d share some with you (and put it in second (not first) person point of view for easier writing/reading).

Imagine for a second, that you are a tiny, woven thread in the middle of a beautiful rug. The rug is made of many colours, different types of thread, and various embellishments. And you’re just one small piece of that rug; you’re only a thread. But you’re still part of the rug, right? What if a small boy decided you were ugly, and pulled you out? Would you not feel unaccepted, incomplete, and lost? Or what if a neighbouring thread decided you didn’t belong and so they undid the interlocking that was binding you together? Would you not feel alone, unworthy, and unappreciated? Surely, as a thread within the rug, you have something to give. You have a colour, an embellishment, a different style or opinion to share. Should you not be able to express yourself? Should you not be able to contribute to the wellbeing of the rug as a whole? For if you were discarded as an ugly and useless thread, would the rug still be complete? Or would there be a hole and an empty space? Wouldn’t the whole rug then become ugly and useless?

Now imagine for a second, that you are a tiny, woven thread in the middle of a beautiful rug. But instead of being a dull, plain, brown thread (or whatever you imagined in the previous example), you’re a brilliant, feathery, blue thread. What are you going to do with your colour and style? Are you going to flaunt your embellishments above others, take over the rug, and not let others contribute to its beauty and purpose? Or will you find, and be comfortable in, the place given to you by the Tailor, and share your character and opinion in an equitable and loving manner?

What colour thread are you (What is your character, your person, your opinion, your gifts)? What is your place in the rug (Where have you been placed in God’s congregation and the communion of saints, and what is your influence)? How will you use this position for the benefit of the whole rug? How will you display your character and opinion? How will you love the other threads and show them their worth as a valuable piece of a united whole that can’t be broken?

“Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”

       (Eph 4:1-3).