Pegs

Have you ever tried to fit a square peg into a round hole? For the record, it actually is possible to fit a round peg into a square hole but today we are only looking at square pegs. Square pegs don’t fit into round holes. They must first be trimmed and shaped into round pegs before they can be used.

The average newly born or even carnal Christian is like a square peg who desperately tries to fit into a peg board of round holes. The Master Carpenter must shape each square peg through a rigorous whittling and sanding process which takes time but is absolutely necessary. God slowly and meticulously takes off our rough edges as He plugs us in somewhere to be useful. 

The church of Jesus Christ is so much bigger than the white steeple topped building at the corner. His church is much bigger than any one denomination. The kingdom of God has nothing to do with the color of the sanctuary carpeting, the size of the parking lot or the latest Christian shirt. The wisdom of the wise was not taken into consideration when God laid the foundation for His building.  God’s building materials were not man-made but are being fashioned by Him; a building constructed out of living, rough, square shaped pegs. Each peg being carefully placed exactly where the Master wants to put them for His service.

Woe, to the Christian man or woman who discourages any of these newly shaped pegs. We all have something to do for the Lord! Some pegs might not look as sparkly as some of the others but each and every peg is precious to God and useful in His service. Our ordination or anointing also comes from God, not man. There is no membership form to sign, quota to fill or knives to sell in order to be a kid of the King! All of His kids have an important role to fill and will do so in their own time.

Sometimes, when God uses someone they are propelled into the limelight. Some leaders have had large followings and wield a strong and heavy influence in the communities in which they serve. Chuck Smith, David Jeremiah, Billy Graham have had a mighty influence on the eternal destiny of many people God has led into their audiences. 

Unfortunately, sometimes our flesh is drawn to these men because of their charisma, speaking ability or apparent connection with the Holy Spirit but let us never forget that it is God who raised them up and is causing the growth. It’s not hard to see the potential danger these men are in if they begin to believe in their own strength and lean less on God’s. Division can also set into our churches as we take our eyes off Christ and begin to look and trust in men.

Paul wrote about this problem in his first letter to the Corinthian church 1:10-17 “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."  Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 

 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.  Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.  For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”

Paul continues his thought in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.”

So if you sometimes feel like a square peg in a round hole do not give up, for it is God who is doing the shaping and will make you grow!