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Back in the 1990s, growing up in Saudi Arabia, my primary source of entertainment was reading – closely followed by jigsaw puzzles. I remember this one time my father brought home a 1000 piece puzzle for my brother and I to put together. It was a gift from his colleague whose children had outgrown the game – a world map that had small, intricate pieces.
It took us over a week to put the puzzle together. We laboured over it, had a couple of fights, came close to giving up, got our friends to involve, wondered if it was even worth it, and consulted several atlases in the process. So you can imagine our anguish when we found out that a small, blue piece was missing in the middle of our Pacific Ocean. I turned the house upside down looking for it.
I never found it.
I’ve thought about that incident a couple of times the past two decades. Each time, I lose a moment thinking of the crushing disappointment I felt when I couldn’t find it. I never got the satisfaction of completing that puzzle; and the entire undertaking seemed to me, a waste of time.
In retrospect, looking at it from a different perspective, it’s funny how much impact a nondescript, unremarkable blue piece of a jigsaw puzzle has. Two thirds of all the pieces were exactly the same – cerulean blue and undistinguished. However, the puzzle would now never be complete because one of them went missing.
You might feel like a blue jigsaw piece. You might not feel that the role you play is very significant. You might wonder if anyone would notice your absence if you just dropped off the face of the Earth. It might seem trivial – the role you are called to play. But assuredly I tell you, it is anything but.
Not so long ago, I used to worry that when my days on Earth would come to an end, all I would be remembered for would be that I’d been a wife and a mother. The very thought that my life wouldn’t be remarkable made me anxious. To be honest, I still have those feelings come up ever so often. On some level, all of us want to be appreciated and admired for what we do. However, I think our understanding of what deserves praise and acknowledgement is vastly different from what God says.
You and I, we are just a single thread in an intricately woven tapestry. We do not have the ability to look at the bigger picture. At best, we compare ourselves to the people around us and quietly hope that God has something bigger and better planed for us. But have you ever stopped to wonder just how much impact you have on the circle of people who surround you? It’s alright if your ambitions are grandiose and thrilling. If the Lord wills it, may you reach those heights and then some. However, what are you doing while you wait?
Every disciple is called to do something specific : to die to self. We are called to live a life of self denial – to lead lives each day with the prime goal of becoming like Christ. Each day, we must passionately and sincerely incorporate Christ-like traits into our way of thinking and being. Any aspect of our character that does not yield to Christ’s expectation must be ruthless cut off without mercy. Every small sin must be dealt with seriously and methodically. Unless this process of self denial happens in earnest in our life, we cannot expect to reach the full potential of our calling. Only a disciple can make disciples.
Many times, it is easy to confuse God’s “calling” with fame. We might erroneously assume that a calling from God is only important if it is very public and evident. It’s tempting to want to see your name in lights and be adored by people wherever you go. It’s easy to get caught up in the temporary trappings of this world. What matters ultimately is if you’ve lived life on God’s terms and whether you’ve submitted to His will. The road is long and the path is narrow – not many people find it. You have a very specific role to play in God’s mission on Earth. Don’t let anything derail you from the track that God has set for you. It matters not how “big” the role is, it only matters that you are sincere in fulfilling it in a manner that is most pleasing to God.
For instance, the Bible does not even mention the name of the “young captive girl from Israel” who served Naaman’s wife. Nevertheless, she played a vital role in the healing of her master who was suffering from leprosy.
Consider her situation. She could have been bitter and chosen to not speak out. Her bad attitude would have been absolutely justifiable given her enslavement. Notwithstanding, she cries out, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy!” (2 Kings 5:3) This statement leads to a series of events that involves even the kings of Israel and Aram.
Consequently, God uses Elisha to heal Naaman in a glorious way.
The same can be said for Shiphrah and Puah – two midwives to whom the entire nation of Israel owed a debt of gratitude. When the Israelites were looked upon as a threat to the Egyptians, the Egyptians subjected them to forced labour and instructed these two women to observe Hebrew women on the birth stool : “If it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live”.
But the midwives feared God.
They refused to do what the king of Egypt ordered. Instead, they delivered each newborn with the skill and ability given to them. When they were summoned by the king of Egypt for their disobedience, they answered : “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” Scripture tells us that God was pleased with the courage and and wisdom they displayed. God “was kind to the midwives… and because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own”.
Shiphrah and Puah are powerful, though obscure, examples of doing what is right and honouring God no matter where He has placed you.
Your life matters. Your role is distinct and your obedience imperative. It matters not what you do or how arbitrary you think it is. For instance, if you are good at making pickles, make the best pickle you can. Create friendships over jars of pickles and be a light in your neighbourhood. Lend your ears, your hands and your heart to those around you. Soon God will use you to touch people in specific and profound ways. Just think, it could all start over a jar of pickle.
So wherever you are placed, and no matter how trivial you feel your calling is, you are the little blue jigsaw piece that is required to complete the puzzle. Come, take your rightful place.