Refuge: Island of Misfit Toys

     I love the Christmas season! With all the food, colors and smells that remind us our  get-togethers with friends and family are right around the corner. As a kid I couldn't wait for all the Christmas decorations and bright, colorful lights to start popping up on the houses in my neighborhood. My favorite television shows  like "Its a Wonderful Life", "Its Christmas Charlie Brown!" and "Frosty the Snowman" would be scheduled into the seasonal, weekly programming. Do you all remember the TV movie "Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer"?  There is one scene from the movie where the three of characters run away from Santa's Village to the island of misfit toys. They didn't  fit into Santa's Village because they were all thought to be flawed in some way. For example, the rest of Santa's reindeer laughed at and made fun of Rudolf's red nose, remember it even glowed! And there was the elf, who didn't want to make toys but rather wanted to become a dentist. Bringing up the rear was a burly, gold miner who couldn't seem to locate the allusive mineral any time he landed his pick in the snow and ice.

    Have you ever felt like you don't fit in somewhere? Maybe at church? When all the people around you seemed connected, engaged, smiling and enjoying fellowship while you are just sitting there unnoticed, another broken toy destined for the island of misfits. I know that feeling, its a very ugly feeling especially when its coming from people who are calling themselves Christians. Ergo, I didn't feel like going to church, would you?

    So in our script our actors end up after a long, cold boat ride on the island of the misfit toys. The island becomes a sanctuary for toys that are not functioning as they were once designed. For example, the Jack in the Box doesn't open when the crank is turned, the doll has lost a button eye, the remote control plane cant fly and the locomotive has no whistle. So while our three friends successfully reach their destination, the island of misfit toys, they quickly realize that they are not as bad off as the rest of the broken toys around them. But they were just made in a different way with special gifts and talents. After their epiphany they can now start their return trip back to Santa's Village to help their friends.

   Its really sad to think about how many people who come to church just to "fit in" don't end up actually doing that? In fact they don't even get a "hello" or a handshake? They were probably motivated  by loneliness and were just waiting for someone to notice them sitting there...but nobody did. And they often leave feeling worse than when they first walked into the building.

   Refuge means: shelter or protection from danger or distress. A place of protection. We are all refugees, and we need a shelter from all the garbage that exists in this world. My refuge is God. He supplies all my needs. I want to not only welcome people to the safety of God's protection but continue in fellowship with them and grow as a family. The idea of the "church" of late is really misunderstood, many believe it is a place to "Do your time" show up on Sunday and keep checking your watch so you don't miss the football game that starts at noon. I believe as children of God we need each other. Its in that common bond of believing in Christ that we find true fellowship, love and refuge from our fears.

    So back to the story of our three misfits.  Rudolf, the red nosed reindeer,  because of his glowing red nose was able to provide the needed light for Santa's team of reindeer to be able to fly in the very dark, inclement weather that would have normally grounded Santa's Sleigh. The young elf had been told and pushed into thinking that he had to make toys because that is what elves do but what he really needed was to follow his heart and use the gifts that God had given to him in the field of dentistry. And the burly, gold miner while he searched everywhere for gold and riches never really looked in the right spot! He never found gold but he did find two very golden relationships with a red nosed reindeer and a tooth pulling elf. So be sure to smile warmly, give a hug or two and reach your hand out to someone who is hurting this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!