Dear world,
I have a confession that I’ve been meaning to get off my chest for some time. I feel the Lord has given me peace that now is the right time to come clean, so here goes. My name is Mike Allen. I’m 34 years old. And I love Legos. I’ve tried to fight it. I’ve tried to say, “You know…Legos are okay.” But it doesn’t sit right. I could sit and play with Legos with my sons for hours (and have). Who am I to feel ashamed?
In the realm of the world, a 34-year-old professional should probably not say out loud in public that he likes to play with Legos. In the realm of the Kingdom, however, I’m beginning to think it may be a matter of spiritual health to connect with the things of childhood. After all, it is adulthood that brings the complications of life so front and center that Jesus has to tell his people that “…unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 18:3).
Coming to Jesus as a child…seeing the world through the simple lens of his Good News…I’ll take some more of that please. Slowing down to reflect on the simplicity of God’s story (not our story) allows us to more clearly see the Gospel being told all around. In Luke 19:40, Jesus says of his disciples (in response to Pharisees demanding he scold them for their praise), “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Romans 1:20 goes on to say, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” I believe that these two verses speak so clearly to the truth of what it means to have a biblical worldview.
Back to Legos (as if they were ever far from my mind). What do you see when you see a Lego set? Do you see a toy? Do you see a broken vacuum (parents will understand this reference)? Maybe you see both? I would challenge you to look beyond the world’s definition of them, and tell the story of the Gospel. I’ve recently asked our staff at ECS, “How do Legos tell the story of the Gospel?’ The responses were amazing:
- God takes all of our broken pieces and puts them back together where they were designed to be.
- There is a Creator who has a process for making humanity whole again.
- The picture of one Creator interacting uniquely with one creation.
- If one part of the body were not connected, it would impact the entire plan.
- Sometimes pieces fall out of place, but there is a plan to make it right again.
My goodness. Who knew Legos were so deep?
I really would like to see some dialogue out of this. What was your favorite childhood toy and how does it communicate the story of the Gospel? Respond below and let’s start sharing what the rocks are crying about.
In Service,
Mike Allen
5th-8th grade principal