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Keeping Focus July 2010 |
Time for another pop quiz. (Now you know how your children feel!) Identify a geode and tell what's unique about it.
The answer: a geode is a type of formation found in sedimentary and certain volcanic rocks. The rock is rarely what it seems. On the outside, it appears rough and bland, being comprised generally of a nondescript form of limestone. Crack it open, however, and your eyes are treated to an array of beautiful crystals, often with marvelous colorings. Certainly not what you would expect. It's all a matter of perspective. Looking at this beauty-and-the-beast rock formation reminds us of how we can view our children. From the outside, they may appear rough and not particularly eye-catching. That's the earthly perspective, based on the world's view of success and usefulness. From the inside, the view of the Creator, they appear wondrously designed, perfectly formulated to reflect light and color in unique ways. No two geodes are ever the same. Their beauty depends on how the forces of creation carved out and filled the cavity. 
There is no easy way to tell what wonders the inside of the geode holds until you crack it open and the pieces are broken apart.
How similar this is to our children's God-given designs. As parents we would love to be able to instantly know how to discipline our children, how to train them effectively, and how to raise them up according to that design. But handling a geode can give us a clue as to why God doesn't allow that. It's the joy of discovery. It's the sense of trust in Father that we cling to when all we can see are the rough edges and the mundane. It's the gracious wonder we feel after working diligently to break open the rock. Do you see the beauty of the crystalline formation before you yet? If not, don't despair. God has formed something to behold in due time. before you were born I set you apart. (Jeremiah 1:5) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13, 14) Two Geodes: © Elenathewise - Fotolia.com Closeup Blue Geode: © David Woolfenden - Fotolia.com 380 words To view more 'Keeping Focus' Articles please 'Log In' and visit the 'Achives' page. |
