He wanted to know how many t-shirts could be made from that
field. His growing mind always
wondering. Good question, I
thought. I have no clue. But that white…
Bursting white amidst the still green foliage. The tender purity of the contents erupting
from such a sturdy stalk. The thick,
hard walls of the boll no longer able to contain the pure white begging to be
seen. So much light has been poured into
that boll and that purity will not be contained any longer.
Weren’t his words bursting from a place of purity? He doesn’t yet have the weight of the world
sitting on his shoulders and mind. A mind
consumed with the current worry of the day and the day before and the day to
come. His was a simple question.
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of
the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the
Light of life." John 8:12 (NASB)
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the
lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Matthew 5:14-15 (NASB)
Those bolls of white will be twisted and pulled and stretched and
combined. It has to die to get to its
final purpose. Pulled from that hard
stalk so that it can go forth and be seen; be used.
Thin fibers twisted together, tightly woven for strength.
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A
cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NASB)
But what if one of those fibers begin to unravel? What if one of those strands break?
Sometimes the pressure becomes too much. It overwhelms and that tightly woven cord can
find one sliver of fiber unraveling.
Curling and flapping in the breeze.
Experiencing a harrowing ride in turbulence. Blowing away from the safety of the remaining
cord. Drawing away from the security
found in the tightly woven space of strength.
But if you are flapping in the breeze, you can’t quite find your
place in that t-shirt. The fibers
holding tight for their intended purpose.
Sometimes that errant strand has to be cut away. The usefulness expended fully. Likely to cause others to come loose. Best for all to be cut away.
But sometimes that loose thread should be tucked back in. Allowing the others to surround and hold
tight so the unraveling subsides. A knot
tied to keep it in. So, with future use
the knot tightens to keep that one secure.
Fibers of purity woven in a tapestry of life. Fibers woven into usefulness. Holding tightly to keep the good form. Moving in fluid tandem. Realizing those fibers hold you even when you
think you should be cut off.
Was his simple but complicated question stated for that very
purpose? For him to pull me back into
security. Perhaps one day he will know
how many t-shirts can be produced from a field of cotton. Perhaps one day he will know how he pulled
his mama back in and tucked and tied an errant strand wanting to be cut off,
but not quite expended.
