The Strangest Places...

A common phrase in our family is, "Heredity shows up in the strangest places."   Usually, it's because one of the kids has an off-the-wall characteristic of a parent or grandparent.   For example, my niece, my husband, my sister-in-law, and my mother-in-law all have this love of butter.  I, on the other hand, do not understand it at all, but I'm pretty sure that at least one of my children will develop a taste for it.  

It's interesting to note that in some churches you hear a lot about "Generational curses", based on the verses in the Bible that talk about the sins of the fathers being passed on to their children's children, but there is not much talk about generational blessing.  While my family has it's share of skeletons, there are also some pretty amazing and fun things that I believe are blessings.   These include a love for the Lord and ministry, creativity in writing and in song, love of travel and a call to the nations, just to name a few.  

It's so true that much of our behavior is learned from our families and those around us.   Characteristics are passed down from generation to generation, often without us even knowing that it's happening.   We pick up our parents' habits, and pass them down to our children, and they to their children.   And then, before you know it, you're muttering, "heredity shows up in the strangest places."  

I believe this is also true in our spiritual walk.   As I grow up, I'm starting to recognize that I have the some of the same characteristics as my Daddy, and sometimes heredity shows up in the strangest places.    For example, Daddy is a Creative.   In fact, our first glimpse of Him in the Bible is as a Creator.   He spoke into the chaos, and a beautiful world was formed.   I, too, tend to be pretty creative.   I love thinking outside of the box, coloring outside the lines, dreaming bigger than reality, and wouldn't you know, it can show up in the darndest places.  

Last weekend, Paul and I were hanging out with some of our friends, and we were playing Dominoes.    In this particular game, the goal is to connect all of your dominoes until you run out, hopefully being the first to go out.     As we got into the second or third of thirteen rounds, I took this picture:

I'll bet that you can't tell which side I'm playing on!    But, as the night progressed, I noticed something strange.   My creativity started to leak!   And soon, another player was thinking outside the box.

And, without encouragement, without direction, by the last hand, look what had happened:

Suddenly, there were no straight lines, only creative chaos.   And it struck me that maybe that life with Christ is really about living to the fullest measure of who He's created us to be, and allowing Him to leak all over other people.   The overflow of our lives can change others, even without words.   And, it wasn't about getting the others to "do" it just like me, but as I was free in my creativity it released freedom in them to be creative in their own way.  

We are each fearfully and wonderfully made, in the image of a God who is so multi-faceted that we will never know every part of Him in this life.  He is beyond anything we could even imagine, full of life, radiant in love, bursting with colors that we could never even dream of.  And in the fullness of who He is, He has chosen to reflect Himself through us. 

So, be the you that He has designed you to be.  Enjoy the fullness of who you are in and because of who He is.   And release the life that He planted in you.   And watch how He changes your families, your friends, and even complete strangers as you walk in your heredity as a child of God.   But, be prepared.  Heredity shows up in the strangest places!