Living In Boxes

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

I fear we have often times fixated on the impossible and the improbable in our lives so much so that we have been conditioned to dream limited dreams.
We pay more attention to our limits while ignoring the unlimited creativity God has given to us. It is far easier to remain in the “what is known” which is a place of comfort and familiarity, as opposed to taking risks into the “what is unknown”, where our mettle will be truly tested and often times doubts reside.

But…

Isn’t that where God calls us to?

We cannot always live on the mountain…
for when we stand within the shadows of the valleys – our true persistence, endurance, fortitude and self-realization is put to the test. Rubber – meets road. Theories are naked and vulnerable. Dreams, and half-baked ideas are born, kicking and screaming and we are met with the ‘doing’, the verbs of our adjectives, the dirt under half-bitten-out-of-stress finger nails, the tension of the borderland of what is known and the mystery of the untested, yet-to-be-unleashed, uncertainty of tomorrow “unknown”.

It is in the throws of conflict, labor, action after dream, tumult after tranquility that we find exhilaration in actual living.

Boxes are ripped open…
These four square walls of ruts and routines,
well worn trails of tradition, shoes worn thin in
the same hallways day after day…Is
turned upside down.
toss on its head.
Head-over-tea kettle.

And we breathe deeply fresh, unknown air.
God takes us onto these paths.
Breaks our traditions.
All the while constantly walking alongside us,
whispering His love, and encouragement.

Without the tension – faith is fat and lazy.
without the trials – persistence and endurance is sloth on the couch
eating potato chips.
without the fear of walking – the infant will never grow and develop
into its full potential as an adult.

God leads us out of our boxes…
for a purpose.
So we don’t don the robes of comfortable Pharisees;
content in passing judgement
but never truly risking anything.

God leads us out of our boxes…
so we can truly live.
so we learn to actually walk on our own.
so that we actually think for ourselves
so that this faith…
is our very own.

Are you in a box?
Perhaps it’s time to be served our eviction notices…
so that God, in all of His excellent glory
might lead us into Greater things.