There are tiny little pieces of Legos all over my house. It’s the aftermath of Christmas chaos, presents opened joyfully and played with for hours, and now as the holidays settle down and the new year begins, they’re all just part of our daily life. No more fanfare, no more celebration, no more showing off the latest treasure to the newest guest.
It can be easy to lose track of the wonder as the days pass, but I have a feeling these Legos are going to keep me on my toes this year. Or at least wearing very comfortable slippers as I try to step around all of them. As I cleaned up horses and mini figures, tiny hedgehogs, and sparkly snowflakes, I realized . . .
It’s sometimes the smallest piece of the set that make the biggest impact.
Little pieces of clear plastic, nearly invisible, create beautiful windows.
Sparkly little dots that add final touches to roofs and tables.
Carrot noses for snowmen and tiny ice skates for tiny feet.
The large and impressive pieces don’t stand out once the building is finished like you might think they would. They’re the pieces that get used first, the ones that set the stage, the ones that overshadow the hundred little plastic bags full of nearly invisible parts. They’re incredibly necessary and perfectly equipped for their purpose, and sometimes I want nothing more than to be the established, obvious choice.
But more often than not, I’m the accent piece that plays a small supporting role. The one who assumes she’s easily replaceable or unnecessary for the finished product. Nice to have, but not a “must have.” How generous of God to specifically and intentionally create the body of Christ to need every part — no matter how large or small?
“For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body — so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. So the body is not one part but many.” {1 Corinthians 12:12-14}
Maybe you’re starting 2016 and you feel like one of the tiny, overlooked pieces in the kit. If I’m honest with you, that’s how I feel.
There are plenty of others who could do more, do it better, do it more impressively, and stand out more. But God doesn’t make mistakes when He places us where we are, and He knows exactly what kind of special touch we’ll add to His finished product. Your presence and your purpose matter. Whether we’re the most impressive piece in the pile (helping others to stand firm!) or the smallest accent (shining brightly!), we glorify God when we unite for His kingdom.
You are irreplaceable, perfectly equipped, and incredibly necessary to the work God has planned for you. In Christ we are capable to do more than we could ever imagine — let’s build something beautiful together this year.
Love, Crystal
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Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Crystal,
I hope you don’t mind, but I’m renaming this post, “The Lesson of the Legos” 🙂 Just goes to show you that God can and does use everything (even a zillion Legos) to teach us something about Himself and about our infinite worth. We may think that we play an awesome role in the foundation of building His Kingsom, but Jesus is the “cap stone” the perfectly fitted piece that holds the whole thing together. Without the little adorning pieces, our building would be blah and boring. Here’s to the little pieces!! Joining with you, and all the other Legos to build something beautiful together in 2016. You made me smile and take heart this morning!
Blessings,
Bev
Crystal says
Here’s to the “little pieces” indeed 🙂 Love that, Bev!
Ann Rowland says
Crystal, Thank you for this reminder that we all play a role in the church. I think many of us feel overlooked in the big picture but your blog shows us that the big picture is made up of a lot of tiny, shiny parts that provide color and texture. Ann
Crystal says
The color and texture are my favorite parts!
Rebecca Canale says
Beautifully written Crystal … so true and encouraging! 🙂 xo
Crystal says
Thanks Becky!
Gail Noe says
Amen Crystal, I am in agreement with you. You are irreplaceable, perfectly equipped, and absolutely necessary to the work God has planned for you! May His blessings of joy, love, peace and kindness be yours!
Crystal says
What a beautiful blessing, thank you Gail!
Lovelle Gerth- Myers says
Loved this and really needed it today. Thanks for sharing Crystal 🙂
Crystal says
Sending you a big hug today, Lovelle! Grateful for all you do 🙂
Christan Perona says
Grateful for you and your writing.
Crystal says
That’s so kind, thank you Christan!
A says
Thank you for this beautiful gift of encouragement. It takes a lot of pressure off to do more and be more when I just need to be where He has me. May He bless all of your Lego adventures as you play together 🙂
Crystal says
I receive that blessing – as we have many, many Lego adventures (and maybe some color-coded organizing) ahead of us 😉
Olga Myers says
Crystal,
How timely! God shows us all the puzzle pieces ( little Lego pieces) after the project is completed and helps us to see what an important piece we were in God’s plan. I read this 2 days after I felt like I had failed God and the people present at one of our meetings. I had been called to serve as Praise and Worship leader for our group. The morning I began to lead P&W, the speaker didn’t work, the song recorded on my phone wouldn’t play. God gave me a sense of humor at the time and shared how we need to Praise God in the midst of our frustrations, etc. God turned the frustration into a lesson that was not planned by me. God had a plan and I received comments saying they saw courage in me. HA! Little did they know, it was God who made it look like courage when I was feeling so frustrated. With God nothing is impossible.
All we have to do is look on how God sent His love to us in the form of a baby, completely dependent on His Mother to take care of Him. We, too are dependent on God, the Father in all we think and do and say.
Thank you for sending this. I hope this is an encouragement to YOU!
Blessed New Year!
Olga
Jacquelyn says
Love this! I might be a small Lego, but being a sparkly one (with glitter!) doesn’t sound too bad either. 🙂
Crystal Hall says
Beautiful words that resonated deep within me. We all have a purpose on this earth that God created us for, maybe it’s small in our eyes but God sees it as significant. He knows what He’s doing 🙂
Rebecca Jones says
I used to feel like a little piece too, and then a bigger one but something was still missing, I like puzzles so that’s more my comparison, and then there’s that game, Jenga, if you move the wrong one, everything falls apart. Those 5,000 piece puzzles are difficult, especially some of those from a company called Bits and Pieces. I told my mother it was like unscrambling an egg, but God’s got all the pieces, He can fit them together.
Tyra says
Crystal,
I totally get it! The Lego illustration is on point! Just last night I was holding my son’s Lego police car he got for Christmas. And it was missing one of the tiny blue pieces from the top. What is a police car without the red and blue flashes on the top? Yup that one small piece make a HUGE difference. It is encouragement for me to stay the course in my sphere of influence as it plays a necessary part in the BODY of Christ.
Beth Williams says
Crystal,
It’s amazing what God will use to teach us lessons! “Maybe you’re starting 2016 and you feel like one of the tiny, overlooked pieces in the kit.” I have felt that way sometimes. Like who needs me I’m not the superstar so why try. God has been showing me that my efforts, no matter how small, are definitely important to the work in His kingdom!! Yay for the diligent behind the scenes workers!
Blessings 🙂