A Matter of Faith...

By Carol Round

Get Out of the Box
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

“Out of the box” has become a popular catch phrase, including “thinking outside of the box.”

The term derives from a famous puzzle created by early 20th century British mathematician Henry Ernest Dudeney. The puzzle, consisting of nine dots in a three-by-three grid, challenges those who try to interconnect the dots by using four straight lines without the pencil leaving the paper. In order to be successful, the puzzle solver has to realize that the boundaries of the dot array are psychological. The only way to solve the puzzle is to extend the lines beyond the artificial boundary created by the nine dots.

After my relocation several months ago, I asked a friend to help me decorate my house. I like her taste in décor because it is similar to mine and because she has artfully arranged her own possessions. Melissa has a talent for rearranging, reorganizing and redecorating using the items on hand. A nationally syndicated television program calls it “Design-on-a-Dime.” I call it saving money.

As Melissa went from room to room in my home, she studied what I had available in my collection of photos, artwork, knick-knacks and other décor. After placing various items on the floor, she arranged them in different ways to get the most appealing results. I had given her carte blanche to do as she pleased with my things.

When we finally finished—six hours later—I was amazed at the transformation she had made with my collections and keepsakes. I was also surprised by the everyday ordinary items she used as substitutes to achieve the desired results. Simply amazing.

God’s like that too. He can take everyday ordinary people and use them to achieve His desired results. However, we have to be willing to allow Him to transform us so that He can use us for His purposes. That means we have to get out of our boxes.

When asked to speak at a women’s retreat this fall, I agreed to do a small group session. The request came from a woman who belongs to a different denomination than mine. She said, “Carol, you will be a first for our church.”

When I asked her what she meant, she replied, “You will be the first one outside of our denomination to speak at our retreat.”

Without thinking whether I was stepping on toes, I replied, “God doesn’t care whether you are a Methodist or a Baptist. He just wants to have a relationship with us.”

She replied, “You’re right, Carol. We need to get outside of our box.”

We need to realize that we can’t put people in a box anymore than we can put God in a box. He can do anything. So can we—with His help.

Another definition for “out of the box” comes from the Australian slang for remarkable or exceptional. When we get out of our boxes, God can do remarkable things through us. Are you stepping outside your box?

Check out A MATTER OF FAITH website at www.carolaround.com.