My precious wife had a birthday recently. I had asked her about a dozen times what she wanted for her present; to which she never replied other than simply to say, “Let me think about it.” Naturally, it was only after I grew tired of waiting and had gone out and bought her two or three things that she up and told me what she really wanted.
And what did she request? Of all things, a Legos table, complete with pull out drawers and two matching chairs. The 30 inch square top of the table is fitted with the small raised dots common to all Legos, obviously intended to be the base for grandiose building projects dreamed up in the minds of eager little construction engineers.
As you have likely already concluded, she did not want the table to play with herself; but rather for our grandsons to enjoy. Anyway, it arrived and the two of us took about thirty minutes putting it together. Thereafter, it sat upstairs for a couple of days awaiting their arrival. Needless to say, when they happened upon it, all else was forgotten as they busied themselves with the creation of their respective masterpieces.
A lot of memories came to me as I observed them playing there. In my day, it was Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, and PlaySkool Plastic interlocking bricks. But, oh how I loved them all. I could busy myself all afternoon on a rainy day with such toys.
Still, none of these would ever go on to become the worldwide sensation that Legos has become today. From humble beginnings in 1949, Legos have grown to become “the world's most powerful brand”, complete with its own international day of celebration each year.
Of course, if you have ever played with Legos, you understand the basic premise. Each piece is attached to and/or built upon another. In this sense, every single piece counts. And while every single piece is indispensable, so also are each of the other pieces it depends upon. And while each piece, in and of itself is relatively small, when linked together, Legos often make up massive and impressive feats of engineering.
I share this because, for me, it is a picture of the church of Jesus Christ. The New Testament gives us numerous pictures of the church; and one of these is that of a building. In chapter 2, verses 19-22 of his New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul puts it like this:
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
To this, the Apostle Peter adds these words (in chapter 2, verses 4-5 of his First New Testament Letter):
“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
In each case, believers are likened unto stones being built upon the foundation of Christ and up into an edifice that glorifies Almighty God. Resting upon Him, we each link together with others, doing our respective part to build up the building which is the church for God’s glory!
There are no insignificant Lego pieces. Neither are there any insignificant believers. Whatever your role, whatever your part, whatever way you are designed to fit into the whole, find your place, get connected, and do your part for the kingdom. Others are dependent upon you. As is the perfect will of God!
SOURCES:
LEGOS INFO:
https://www.bricksmcgee.com/blog/international-lego-day-lego-facts/;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego.
SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/ephesians/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/1_peter/2.htm.
And what did she request? Of all things, a Legos table, complete with pull out drawers and two matching chairs. The 30 inch square top of the table is fitted with the small raised dots common to all Legos, obviously intended to be the base for grandiose building projects dreamed up in the minds of eager little construction engineers.
As you have likely already concluded, she did not want the table to play with herself; but rather for our grandsons to enjoy. Anyway, it arrived and the two of us took about thirty minutes putting it together. Thereafter, it sat upstairs for a couple of days awaiting their arrival. Needless to say, when they happened upon it, all else was forgotten as they busied themselves with the creation of their respective masterpieces.
A lot of memories came to me as I observed them playing there. In my day, it was Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, and PlaySkool Plastic interlocking bricks. But, oh how I loved them all. I could busy myself all afternoon on a rainy day with such toys.
Still, none of these would ever go on to become the worldwide sensation that Legos has become today. From humble beginnings in 1949, Legos have grown to become “the world's most powerful brand”, complete with its own international day of celebration each year.
Of course, if you have ever played with Legos, you understand the basic premise. Each piece is attached to and/or built upon another. In this sense, every single piece counts. And while every single piece is indispensable, so also are each of the other pieces it depends upon. And while each piece, in and of itself is relatively small, when linked together, Legos often make up massive and impressive feats of engineering.
I share this because, for me, it is a picture of the church of Jesus Christ. The New Testament gives us numerous pictures of the church; and one of these is that of a building. In chapter 2, verses 19-22 of his New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul puts it like this:
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
To this, the Apostle Peter adds these words (in chapter 2, verses 4-5 of his First New Testament Letter):
“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
In each case, believers are likened unto stones being built upon the foundation of Christ and up into an edifice that glorifies Almighty God. Resting upon Him, we each link together with others, doing our respective part to build up the building which is the church for God’s glory!
There are no insignificant Lego pieces. Neither are there any insignificant believers. Whatever your role, whatever your part, whatever way you are designed to fit into the whole, find your place, get connected, and do your part for the kingdom. Others are dependent upon you. As is the perfect will of God!
SOURCES:
LEGOS INFO:
https://www.bricksmcgee.com/blog/international-lego-day-lego-facts/;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego.
SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/ephesians/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/1_peter/2.htm.