“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all and used them to bring to nothing to what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” I Corinthians 1:27-29
A Linus Perspective in a Lucy World
In A Charlie Brown Christmas, after “Chuck” experiences yet another “good grief” failure directing the Christmas play, he was sent to find a Christmas tree. You know the story. Our big-hearted blockhead chose the puny, pathetic sapling to play the role of O Tannenbaum instead of a more spritely spruce. I see God’s grace in Charlie Brown. Look at God’s Roster of Chosen Rejects: Abraham lied. Moses stuttered. Jacob was a liar. David had an affair. Peter was afraid. Paul was a murderer…so was Moses. Jonah ran from God. John was self-righteous. Samson had a temper. Miriam was a gossip. Thomas doubted. Noah got drunk. And Lazarus? Lazarus was straight-up DEAD.
Almighty God didn’t go for the strongest, most qualified…God chose the ones who couldn’t possibly rely on their own strength or skill so that HIS life-changing power would be fully on display.
A Charlie Brown Christmas is a story of redemption; a story of the healing power of a love that sees past the pain to the purpose; beyond the surface to the Savior, who was not born in a lofty mansion, but in a lowly manger. Do you see value in others… beyond the outward appearance? Do you see your own true worth? Do you see what’s missing or are you able to see the miracle waiting to happen? The potential is there in all of us. You can choose to have a Linus perspective in a Lucy world. You can be the one to step in when others walk away if you can learn to see in others what Linus saw in Charlie Brown’s odd little tree: “It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
