At the place where I work there is a chair. It’s not an outstanding chair, in fact it’s pretty basic. It’s made from wood, has 4 legs and a back. In fact, this chair started in one office where it wasn’t really wanted and just got in the way. So it got moved, dumped really in a other office. It was adopted by my colleague who worked in that office. She loves the chair. In fact, we had a big office clear out to get rid of the bits and bobs that build up over time as staff come and go. The colleague wasn’t in that day and sent a special message asking us to make sure we kept that chair.
A few weeks ago, we talked about the chair. I mentioned how it had been shoved about because it was no use and in the way in another (smaller) room. My colleague (someone who sees the positive everywhere) looked at the chair and then at me and said, “it’s not just a chair. Here it is a chair, an extension of my desk, something nice to look at, somewhere visitors can sit and an extra table that can be moved to where its needed.” (OK, I may have remember the details wrong, but she did reel off a list of 4 or five things it was other than ‘just a chair’!)
I wonder if you can relate to that chair? Have you ever been somewhere that you just don’t fit, where you feel like you’re in the way and not really wanted? Maybe some have looked at you and thought (or maybe even told you) that you’re a waste of space or just neglected you through no fault of your own.
There’s a lesson here from this simple tale about a chair. When we moved the chair, we found somewhere it did belong and someone who valued it.
No matter what some situations or circumstances tell us, we are not unwanted or a waste of space. We are children of God, loved and valued and very much wanted. We have a place in God’s kingdom. And until that time, maybe we need to try a different ‘room’ where we will find a person or people who will see all of our potential. Maybe we need to find people who look at us and see that we’re not just one thing, but have so much more to offer when we are embraced and given a chance.
If a chair is not just a chair, neither are we just one thing. Go out as children of God and show the world all you can be.
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