Rachel Fitch
Sid & Cathy Batts Pastoral Resident
I don’t know about you, but I have always loved good children’s books. I marvel at the way authors can creatively communicate so much through a story that we – children of all ages – can enjoy.
We recently read Max Lucados’ You Are Special. By the last few pages we are summarizing as it is a little beyond our little one’s attention span. However, I love this little story, so … we’ll keep reading it!
Lucado describes a community of little wooden people, all carved by Eli the woodworker. The people give each other golden stars if they are talented or beautiful or popular and they give gray dots if they are not. Each person is covered with these stars or dots.
Punchinello was covered in dots which made him sad, so he was told by a friend to go to Eli the woodworker. Eli told Punchinello how much he mattered to him. Punchinello mattered because he was Eli’s, and Eli reassured him, he was “special because I made you. And I don’t make mistakes.”
This little children’s book has a beautiful and important message. As Punchinello visits Eli, Eli encourages him to come each day so that he can be reminded that he is special and that what Eli, his creator, thinks, is what matters.
I know this little book is a helpful reminder to me. As our world is quick to tell us what to do or be to ‘matter’ or, in the world of the wooden people, to ‘gain gold stars.’ What really matters is what our Creator thinks. We are each made in the image of God and are God’s beloved children, no matter what. As the book reminds us, as we go and sit in our Creator’s presence, we are re-oriented to seeing ourselves not as the world sees, but as God sees us. We are each special because of Who made us, and God doesn’t make mistakes.
