This morning I saw a delightful little ‘Mouse House’ designed e-card, which really appealed to me. I found myself studying the picture quite carefully, as it seemed to represent a slice of life that even had a spiritual parallel.
Picture four cute mice. On the left, standing tall on a bottle of Bubble Magic liquid, was a mouse using a spectacle shaped wire as his tool. He was happily blowing bubbles to his three friends.
The next mouse was crouching very close to the action, but seemed quite happy to just watch the bubbles floating by above him.
The one that really caught my eye, was the third mouse, who was in the middle of the picture and facing away from the bubble-blower. There was a large bubble above him, which he was about to prick with a long needle. Surprisingly he had no smile on his face.
The fourth mouse was turned to the source of the action with an expression of delight and anticipation on his face. One of the bubbles was drifting down towards him, and he was eagerly awaiting it with arms outstretched.
A simple enough scene, you think? I showed that picture to a group friends, and asked them to quickly associate themselves with just one of the mice. I knew the longer they looked, the more confused they would become. They could undoubtedly identify with each of the different situations depicted, because it’s not hard to recall times of activity, inactivity, negativity, or receptivity.
I then suggested that the bubbles were like spiritual gifts, given for helping, encouraging, or teaching others. The four mice seemed to me, to represent four different personality types, and showed how they might have handled those gifts.
We were all challenged to answer these questions:
1. Am I going to blow bubbles of blessings for others, and give help and pleasure to them?
2. Am I going to sit quietly and watch other people give and receive blessings, but take no active part in the proceedings? Am I so passive that I’m not willing to use my gifts?
3. Am I the one who is going to burst someone’s bubble of delight, because of my negativity? Do I more readily tear down a person’s feelings of self-worth, rather than build them up with love?
4. Am I going to accept with open arms, joyfully, and very positively, the blessings that God gives for me to enjoy, and then pass them on to others?
In short, am I a provider, onlooker, bubble-burster, or a joyful receiver?
In Romans 1:11,12, it has this delightful picture of a bubble-blower and a bubble catcher!
“I long to…share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.” (New Living Translation)
