REFLECTIONS

Outside the Box

We all have those times in our lives. Feelings of emptiness creep into our being, something is missing. Is that all there is, we wonder. Those times are often marked by middle-age, an “empty nest,” job disappointments, or the like. Something brings pause to think about this life we live, and the desire for there to be meaning from it. And sometimes the answer we seek is found outside the box.

Thinking outside the box refers to thinking beyond the normal framework. Typically, our thinking operates within a background bounded by perceived limitations like natural laws, personal experience, social tradition, and even what others might think. But sometimes (or many times) we are better off to allow more creative thinking to take charge. The “box” places constraints on the possibilities. God had no such limitations when He created the world.

From nothing God made it! Air didn’t exist, water was no more than an idea, and the periodic table was not even on a blueprint. Nothing existed yet. We can’t image existence without time, wind, or centrifugal forces. Those natural laws were a part of God’s creation and they became tools to control the world.

Now, we are created in God’s image, only without his omnipotent power. But He did give us creative abilities and the tools to help. Most of us may not be gifted artists or musicians or craftsmen, but creative abilities reach into other realms. Problem solving and sensitive conversations draw on creative skills. When ordinary actions don’t produce desired results, it’s time to think outside the box—apply knowledge in different ways.

We are created in the image of God and called to be his servants in the world. The world is ours to care for, and that includes caring for the wellbeing of each other. He gave us the tools needed to do the job—sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, and the natural laws. Plus, God gave us intellect to apply knowledge in creative ways to make the world a better place. But there’s more.

Believers are indwelled with the Holy Spirit to call upon in times of need, and we can count on Jesus’ promise to be with us always.

What more do we need to find the answers outside the box.

You are the light of the world,

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org.

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