The bubble on my basketball shoes burst. As a man of a certain age, I really need that extra cushioning. Thankfully, the shoes came from a reputable company that always stands behind their product. I didn’t have a receipt or the original shoebox. In fact, I didn’t even buy them at one of the company’s stores. I purchased the shoes online. The shoes were two months worn (with a stench to prove it). Nevertheless, due to the defects the company took them back and gave me a brand new pair of shoes.
I wasn’t looking to take advantage of the company. In fact, I would have gladly paid some reduced price for the new shoes if they had asked. But they didn’t. What mattered to them was standing behind their product. To them, the shoes were designed with a purpose in mind and such an early malfunction was unacceptable.
People pay more money for better products not only because of the quality of the product itself or the prestige that owning them may bring, but also because of the reputation the company has built. The company places value not just in the product, but in their name being attached to that product. Many things can happen to a high quality product that would be detrimental to the owner or creator of that product. It could be lost, stolen, scratched, marred, torn, hit or destroyed.
Human beings are created in the image of God. In essence, He has placed His trademark or brand on each of us. When we are hit by unforeseen circumstances, marred by bad decisions or torn by hurtful comments, our Creator always desires to repair us so that we can once again be fit to fulfill our original purpose.
He specializes in fixing frayed and failing products. No one knows His product – us – like He does. You are naturally the product of your parents but spiritually and in essence you and I are the product of the One who designed us and gave us a unique purpose. We all are products of God Industries Incorporated. He has designed us on purpose for a purpose and a little scratch, tear, or defect won’t change His mind on what He intends for us to do.
DEFINED DESIGN
You may be reading this on an iPhone, Android, computer or tablet. No matter what device you’re using, a company with engineers and designers created the product. It didn’t spring into existence on its own. Our common thread of design (DNA) is actually evidence of a common designer. The order of the letters and the sequence that they are in send a specific message to the cells in our bodies about how to act and look. The specified complexity (unique yet complex design) of the messages within our cells not only tells us how we should look, act, talk, and walk, but it also can begin to reveal the purposeful, thoughtful, and intentional nature of the designer that composed our cells.
We were perfect in design.
DEFECTIVE DESIGN
Somewhere along the way, or more likely at many points along the way, we got hit physically, spiritually, emotionally or mentally. Maybe we’ve even experienced all of those. Regardless of the degree or frequency of the damage, we’d like to be fixed up, patched or corrected. Maybe you feel like you’ve been in the repair shop for too long. Maybe you don’t see progress on your path to correction. It’s possible that you feel that you are beyond repair. I’ve been there.
The good news is that our Creator is a master at making messes into masterpieces. Often when my car breaks down, I’ll take it to a local auto repair shop as opposed to the dealer. When it comes to fixing the defects that we’ve accumulated on the road to fulfilling our purpose it behooves all of us to go to the dealer – the originator – our Creator. He alone has the answers to the questions we need answered on how to get back on track in doing what we were designed to do.
DETERMINED DESIGN
Once we receive the answers that allow us to be reaffirmed in the understanding of our purpose we can then direct our energy towards that end. It is at this point that we can, with bold determination, deliver a message loud and clear that life has meaning and we can and should be connected to the one source who gives meaning to all things. That is the universal purpose of all of God’s creation. This is why He has a vested interest in fixing what failed and defining what was once defective.
We should confidently desire to engage in the process of healing, recalibration or purging with our designer so that we can live out our unique purpose for the advancement of His great company. Unlike the shoe company, He’s not interested in exchanging you for a newer model. He created you and wants you to fully accept who He’s designed you to be. Our greatness is rooted in realizing our full potential based on what God has given us and purposed us to do.
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