“I was in the Dollar Tree store last night and there was a lady and two kids behind me in a very LONG line. One was a little boy, a toddler it appeared, and the other boy was much older. The bigger boy had a pack of glow sticks and the toddler wanted one and was screaming for them. The mom opened the box and gave him one which stopped his tears. He walked around the store smiling and waving it around. But then the older boy took it from him, and the toddler started screaming again. Just as the mom was about to fuss, the older boy bent the glow stick and handed it back to the toddler. At that point, we were all ready to check out.
As we walked outside at the same time, the toddler noticed that the stick he was holding, was now GLOWING – and he said to his little brother, “I had to break it so that you could get the full effect from it.”
I almost ran to my car, because I could hear God saying to me, “I had to break you to show you why I created you. You had to go through it so you could fulfill your purpose.” That precious toddler was happy just swinging that “unbroken” glow stick around in the air back in that store because he didn’t understand what it was created to do – which was to GLOW.
Some people will be content just “being”, but some of us are chosen…we have to be broken. We have to get sick. We have to lose a job. We go through a divorce. We have to bury a spouse, parent, family member, or dear friend. In those moments of desperation, we were broken. But…when the breaking is done, then we will be able to see the reason for which we were created.
Despite what we continually face from time to time, it appears that there are some we know, and who we recognize that have that deep inner GLOW, that radiates faith, compassion, and service. So, when you see someone GLOWING, just know that they may have been broken.” (Author Unknown)
A few verses to ponder: Isaiah 41:10; Philippians 4:6-8; Romans 8:18
