Hi all,
A couple of years ago in the children's section of the bookstore, I came across a board-book by Max Lucado, one of my favorite Christian authors. Seeing how short it was I sat down to read it and when I had finished, I brushed away the tears that had formed and walked directly to the check out counter to purchase it. It remains prominently displayed in my living room, and I read it over and over again. There is no reason why this should be classified solely as a 'children's' book. When Christ needed to make a point his method of choice was usually to do so through story-telling. The board-books are only about 7$, though there is also a hard-cover version. Sometimes I'm tempted to forgo my usual Christmas shopping & just buy this for everyone on my list--and then some.
The main character in the book is Punchinello, a Wemmick, or little wooden person carved by the woodworker Eli. The Wemmicks each have a box of gold star stickers and gray dot stickers that they stick on one another, each according to his or her merit. The pretty and talented ones got stars and the Wemmicks who were clumsy or had peeling paint got dots. Punchinello was one of these; in fact the other Wemmicks even said, "He deserves lots of dots". Punchinello, believing them, started spending his time indoors or with other Wemmicks who had many dots. One day Punchinello met a Wemmick who had no stars and no dots. He asked her why she didn't have any and she told him to go see Eli.
OK, to paraphrase the rest would detract from the story. Following is the conversation between Eli and Punchinello--all is verbatim except at the end I boldened the print on one line:
"Looks like you've been given some bad marks," said the maker.
"I didn't mean to, Eli, I really tried hard."
"Punchinello, I don't care what the other Wemmicks think."
"You don't?"
"No. You shouldn't either. What they think doesn't matter. All that matters
is what I think. And I think you're pretty special."
Punchinello laughed. "Me, special? Why?" I'm not very talented and my paint is peeling.
Why do I matter to you?"
Eli spoke very slowly. "Because you're mine. That's why you matter to me."
Punchinello didn't know what to say.
"Every day I've been hoping you'd come," Eli explained.
"I came because I met Lucia," said Punchinello. "Why don't the stickers stay on her?"
The maker spoke softly. "Because she has decided that what I think is more important
than what others think. The stickers only stick if you let them."
"What?"
"The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you
care about their stickers."
"I'm not sure I understand."
Eli smiled. "You will, but it will take time. For now, come to see me every day and
let me remind you how much I care." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him
on the ground. "Remember," Eli said as Punchinello was leaving, "you are special
because I made you. And I don't make mistakes."
Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought I think he really means it. And
when he did, a dot fell to the ground. ------Copyright 1997, Max Lucado
