The Island of Misfit Toys

The Island of Misfit Toys

I was in a massive rut this weekend, especially on Friday and part of Saturday. Just feeling down and a bit upset. I realize these feelings come and go, so I just sort of held on through the weekend. As I was walking through the slightly cluttered living room on Sunday, I paused to reflect on this and the memory from a childrens show about Rudolph the red nosed reindeer came to me.

In the show there was an island of misfit toys. Each of them had some unusual difficulty they faced. There was a bird that swam but could not fly, a Jack in box named Charlie, a choo choo with square wheels, and an airplane that could not fly. They all had several things in common. One was that no little boy or girl in the world wanted them because they were different. Another was their universal anguish at not being accepted; not being loved. Also, they all wanted to go with Santa to be presented to loving children on Christmas day.

By now, you have probably guessed where I am going with this. All of us here on Earth are misfits in one way or another. Some have unfulfilled love; others, unrealized hopes or missed loved ones. Death, divorce, and tragedy mark us all in ways we do not see, but are real nonetheless.

It seems at times, it’s impossible to carry all that can weigh one down, but there is hope. Jesus says, My yoke is easy, and my burden light. Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. God can help, and He desires to be involved in our lives.

Now this may seem to be a pat answer. One might think, that this has nothing to do with my circumstances and it’s not going to help pay my bills, help my relationship with my spouse, or satisfy my boss. Perhaps. But when the spiritual is engaged, when prayer is utilized, there are things unseen which transcend our earthly concerns that begin to move. Angels, who are as real as you or me, act. God’s Holy Spirit can change the hearts of men. He can change us.

I believe that God does not desire for our brokenness to be the center of our attention. Paul compared our lives to a great race, with spectators looking down from heaven. It’s hard to run with our eyes on ourselves and the weights we carry. Let us run the race freely then, without our gripping hold on the weights that we have no control over whatsoever.

May the peace that passes all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until that final day- Christmas day. When our lives will be unwrapped and we will be presented to the Lord of Love, the one who loved and gave himself for us, while we were yet… misfits.

G.Houtchens
armchair coach
amateur historian