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Along Life’s Way
Raw Materials
By Lois E. Wilson
When you are being creative, no matter what your medium is, you are creating objects and works out of raw materials.
A cook’s raw materials are a variety of foods. Cooks choose from these
and assemble them into many dishes—some new and created from scratch.
Mechanically inclined people may see needs that suggest solutions---new
inventions. They use materials such as wood, plastic, nails, screws,
etc. to create their visions.
Artists’ raw materials are paper, paint, color, found objects—anything that speaks to them and says, “Use me.”
Those who write have raw materials, of ideas, words, meanings, and
syntax to name a few. They select from them to convey their message.
Many religions believe we are created according to God’s plan and born
with a blank slate. In other words, we are all His raw materials.
Throughout our lifetimes, we encounter challenges, temptations and
trials.
We have a free will to choose whether we succumb to or overcome them.
Often we have only a one-time opportunity to do so. What we accept or
reject defines us. People around us influence our lives—parents, our
pastor, our friends, our teachers, even those we don’t know. They guide
us in choices and help us fill in our blank slates.
If we choose wrongly—the path of evil or immorality, we may be forgiven but forgiveness may not remove the consequences.
Samuel Butler observed: “Every man’s work, whether it be literature or
music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a
portrait of himself, and the more he tries to conceal himself, the more
clearly will his character appear in spite of him.”
The Lord commanded Joshua (1:7, 9 TNIV) “Be strong and very courageous.
Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn
from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful…Do not
be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with
you wherever you go,”
This is assurance to us that God forgives us and if we have faith, He
will always be there to help us make choices that will create from
us—His raw materials—caring, loving, contributing people doing good
works in His name. Easter blessings!
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