Gold Stars & Gray Dots

There is a children's book by Max Lucado called, You Are Special. I have never read that book to my kids, without tears streaming down my face. I would recommend it to anyone of any age...timeless truth!

In this story, Punchinello, a Wemmick (wooden boy) from Wemmicksville, is struggling with his identity. He spent much of his time looking around at his fellow Wemmicks, thinking that everyone was better than him. (sound familiar?)

Although his maker, Eli, the Woodcarver, reminded him frequently, that he was special, just the way he was made to be, he listened to the voices telling him he wasn't.

The Wemmicks spent their days doing the same thing, They gave each other stickers. If they did something amazing, or if they were particularly beautiful, they would get gold star stickers. If they tripped on their feet, said something silly, or just didn't have their act together, they got gray dots.

This practice left Punchinello covered with gray dots, because he was a clumsy Wemmick, who frequently forgot his hat, or scratched his paint.

After awhile he didn't want to go out in public because he had so many dots! (yep, this is sounding like my life. What about yours??)

One day, Punch goes to talk to Eli, the Woodcarver, about his dots.

This is how the conversation went:

"Hmm...looks like you have been given some bad marks, Punchinello."

"I didn't mean to Eli. I really tried hard."

"Oh you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think."

"You don't?"

"No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special."

Eli goes on to explain to Punch that he was made to be special for who he was. He tells Punch that the only reason the stickers stay on him, is "because they only stick if you let them."

Punch didn't understand, and asked how to not care what others think about him. Eli told Punch that he needed to walk up the hill everyday and visit His maker. The more time he spent talking to the One who made him, the one who thought he was special, the less it mattered what the other Wemmicks think.

I share this, because it is so similar to our lives...my life.

Instead of stars and dots, we give and receive "labels". We get up in the morning, look in the mirror and label ourselves as "Fat/Skinny/Cute/Ugly". We go to work, school, to Bible Study, and say something we regret, and we label ourselves as "Stupid/Ignorant" or on the flip side-we are praised for giving a good speech, and we label ourselves as "Brilliant/Smart". We bump into someone as we walk out of a door, knocking their coffee everywhere, and we label ourselves as "Clumsy/Accidental". Or we are complimented on those cute shoes we are wearing, and we label ourselves as "Adorable/Fashionable". We find out that someone we hung the moon on, has let us down, and we label ourselves "Abandoned/Unlovable/Rejected"

We spend much of our time walking though life, giving and receiving Gold Stars and Gray Dots.

My stars say things like, "Creative, Wordy, Happy, Likes To Have Fun, Caring, Merciful, Hospitable (Betty Crocker)...."

My dots are, "Chatty Kathy, Procrastinator, Fat, Terribly Clumsy, Misunderstood, Unorganized...."

Some dots and stars are self-stuck...meaning that I give myself plenty of the labels to carry around. But I am consumed way too often, with the dots and stars that others stick on me.

I am reminded that in order for me to not "let them stick", I have to walk up the hill, and get on my knees before my Maker, and Redeemer. I have to talk to him about my dots and stars. I have to get quiet, and let Him tell me that He finds great delight in me...and then it starts to make sense.

What if instead of Stars and Dots, when others look at me, they were to see God's Truth? What would my life look like, if that is all I sought after...what God says about me?

I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I am forgiven (Eph. 1:7-8)

I am complete (Col. 2:9-10)

I am secure (Rom. 8:31-39)

I am free (Rom. 6:18)

I am sheltered and protected ( Col. 3:3)

I am dearly loved (Col. 3:12)

I am God's treasure (1 Peter 2:9-10)

I am God's friend (John 15:15)

and last but not least....

I am God's Workmanship-Ephesians 2: 10

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

I think it is high time, that I live and act (and believe) as if I am God's Masterpiece! Does anyone care to join me...it could be an adventure!

"You Are Special" by Max Lucado, 1997