With the whole world in lockdown and having more time on my hands I’ve started doing jigsaws, not very original but its helped pass a few hours and I’ve listened to some great sermons. It’s in the midst of doing one of the worlds hardest jigsaws (see picture below) that I had the inspiration for this post. It took about 3 weeks with many hours looking at lots of similar pieces that had the same shape and colours, a giant sea of blues and greens! I have never seen so many shapes with the same colours!

I had this notion that we’re like pieces in a jigsaw, we’re all individually shaped with our own colours and textures. We might outwardly look the same as other pieces but we will only ever fit in the place that God has designed for us and if we’re in the wrong place we can get along for a while but we won’t ever fit. We can pretend and try to fit that hole but really we’re just fooling ourselves, we are uniquely made for our time and place to be who God made us to be and to not be a copy of those around us! We are His perfect creation and if He has placed you where you are you have been placed there for a purpose.

We are made for our life and the people around us, I can look like my family or the people around me, we might even share the same features, but I can’t be like them and they can’t be like me! So, why do we long to be like others? Why do we want to be the bright yellow piece in the box that gets placed first because its easy? why do we not want to be the light blue thats just like every other piece? I think that as a society we have bred a culture that wants stars and influencers, who’s whole life is to stand out from the crowd and to make copies of themselves so we loose our individual identity! I wonder why we don’t promote the faithful people who do things every day and never stand out or seek attention from others, who faithfully serve and help people who show the love of God in the smile or act of kindness they show a stranger. Who know their place in life and know how God made them to be and are happy to be themselves and bring out the best in those around them, they just encourage and strengthen those around them because they know who they are and what they are designed for!

I was pondering this while placing lots of blue pieces in an impossible jigsaw, and thought that together all these pieces look the same and have nothing of note but when they’re together they make a beautiful picture. When those pieces are placed in the correct position it frees up the flow for more to be placed. It’s like when you’ve place a piece in and your sure it goes there, but the more of the picture you build around that piece you just know its not meant to be there, so you remove it and the whole things starts to flow again.

Isn’t life like that? we can be in the complete wrong place and know we don’t fit but we ‘fake it til we make it’ and actually we’re just blocking the people around us from fulfilling their calling or destiny. If we are true to who God created us to be then we will fit and flow so much better!

People don’t need to be in ministry or church to serve people, we don’t need to wait for an outreach or service to minister to people. This should be our everyday life, it’s about being yourself and being available for God to help those around you! You may never know how many people are influenced by your lifestyle of serving God but, if you aim to love others like we’re told to, you will reap a harvest for the Kingdom. Isn’t that what we were designed for?

To be the light in the dark places, to go into our work place, schools and neighbourhoods and just show the love of God. To be that smiling face that says good morning, who makes the coffees at work and asks about the family, who takes the time out of their day to speak to a neighbour just to check if they’re ok. It’s about being available for God to use you, you will have this urge to buy an extra coffee, bless someone in the supermarket, leave a note on a desk or send a card to an old friend. God uses us all in different ways but the world is a dark place at the moment and we should take this time to shine for His glory and help those around us.

We are all in a jigsaw – a God shaped jigsaw, we are all part of His bigger picture and yes individually we have our part to play, but we also have to be mindful of the people around us. We all affect the people around us and are you in the right place? Are you doing the right things? Do you need to turn your life around? Well only you know those answers but with Gods help nothing is impossible. You were born for this time, you we’re placed with your family and the people around you because God needs you right where you are and He has given you everything you need to succeed, you just need to be available and free to follow His guidance.

I also want to leave you with a thought, you are Gods creation and He doesn’t create anything faulty! In His eyes you are perfectly made for where you are and with Him you are equipped to fulfil your destiny. God bless you.