God and the Scribbled-Up Coloring Page

As some of you may already know, my sweet husband Jeff and I started recently volunteering in the Cubbies class at church. (not just any Cubbies class, we’re in Cubbies 1…. which means that we have the smallest, youngest, neediest, yet most precious Cubbies that ever existed)

They’re 3-not-yet-4-years-old. These kids are so precious and so little, but already I’m realizing that little kiddos carry within themselves some BIG needs.

Some of them need attention. LOTS OF IT. Some need time, conversation, encouragement, and a confirmation-that-they-matter. Some need simple help doing certain tasks. And some, let’s be honest, just need a spanking. But no matter what BIG needs our little Cubbies walk into the room with on a particular night, they all carry one BIG need in common: they need Jesus.

We all need Jesus.

Although some nights spent in Cubbies 1 can be down-right exhausting, Jeff and I can rest assured that our time spend with them is well-needed because we’re pointing them to the One Who can fill the biggest and deepest needs of their dear little hearts. And hopefully, just by our time spent with them, God is using us to fill some of their other needs as well.

With all the funny things that are said and done in the Cubbies room each night, my husband and I never lack for stories to share. As we’ve been in the Cubbies class for a handful of weeks now, we’re beginning to see the various personalities of the children we “teach.”

Just this past week, I noticed that personalities often come out with the age-old task of coloring. After the lesson each week, Cubbies are given a picture sheet and a tub full of color-crayons to review what they just learned. The Bible verse or the caption on the worksheet is normally something short and sweet, and the picture-to-color is as easy and uncomplicated as they come. {Remember, these kiddos are only 3 years-old.} For the most part, our Cubbies use one or two color-crayons on their papers (although some of them hold fistfuls like “sharing” is simply not an option), use those two choice color-crayons to scribble the mess out of their paper, and then say, “I’m all done. Play now?”

That’s typical 3-year-old-ness, I suppose.

But I’ve noticed that one little boy doesn’t do it that way.

Nope. Not at all.

While most of the other kids are rushing headlong into building blocks and toys, Matthew sits and colors. Not only colors-for-the-sake-of-coloring, I mean this kid has it down. He carefully chooses his color-crayons, making sure his choices make sense with the picture already designed and pre-printed on his page. After making his color selections, he colors his little heart out. Colors, not scribbles. And as he colors, he gives it his all. He spends his undistracted time on completing his picture beautifully, no matter what the other little Cubbies have gotten themselves into.

Insert Important Life Parallel here: What we focus our undistracted time on has potential to result in something beautiful to show for the future.

The more I sat and saw sweet Matthew color his paper, I couldn’t help but have a tons of thoughts rush through my mind.

“Is he older than 3?”

“He has to be.”

“No 3 year-old colors like that.”

“What do you call the opposite of A.D.D.?”

“You call the opposite of A.D.D. ‘Matthew.’ Not a bone in his body is distracted right now.”

“Man, this kid has an incredibly long attention span.”

“Is he always this well-behaved?”

“I wonder what he eats for breakfast, or was he just born this compliant?”

“How do I ensure my babies are like Matthew before they’re even conceived?”

And the list goes on. (But I’ll spare you the rest of my inner thought-a-logue. Haha)

After thinking these thoughts about the difference in Matthew’s picture compared to the vast majority of other Cubbies’ pictures, my heart couldn’t help but to make a spiritual parallel as well.

Every single day of our lives, God (i.e. the Creator of all things, the Giver of life, and the Maker of every single day of our lives) in essence hands us a coloring paper for the day. On it, He has His bold black lines that show where you should color and where you shouldn’t. Not to sound legalistic about it, but there are certain things Christians should do, and there are certain things Christians just should not do. Those things are clearly outlined in God’s Word, if only we will take the time each and every morning to read it carefully for understanding, look at it intently for application, and memorize it readily for satisfaction. Just as the lines of a coloring page do not force the crayons where they should go (they simply provide a guideline for the most beautiful outcome), so too God does not force His children to enjoy His Word or to read His Word or to obey it. He simply provides us with the guidelines that will make the most beautiful outcome.

After all, He created us. He loves us. He knows how we work and what works best for us. It’s time for us, as Christians, to stop scribbling all over the plan God designed us for and rushing to run towards every block and toy on the shelf that this world has to offer us. Sure, they may bring temporary relief or a fleeting form of happiness every once in a while. But friends, we weren’t made for scribbles and distractions. We were created to reflect the beauty of God.

Trace back to the time you were 3, I wonder which kind of Cubby would you be?

Spiritually speaking, which kind are you today?

Remember, what we focus our undistracted time on has potential to result in something beautiful to show for the future.

Make sure the masterpiece of your life reflects the lasting beauty of the Lord and not the fleeting attractiveness of the options of this world.