Lessons From the Crayon Box
A crayon has it’s own individual colour that separates it from the other crayons in the box. Nevertheless, each crayon has a specific role to play coming out of the box.
Crayons, Markers & Notebooks
Aisles of school supplies still entice me to wander through them. The puzzle pieces of back to school shopping no longer appear in my life. They have all been put into place and left there years ago. However, I still enjoy looking at crayons, markers, and pretty covered notebooks.
What memories does a box of crayons create for you? Do you still remember your first box of crayons? For me it was the little pack of eight crayons. That was on the school supply list – no more – just the original eight colours. But even those eight wonderful colours opened possibilities to create, limited only by imagination and the lines on the page I was supposed to colour inside of.
Colour With Crayons
Maybe a box of crayons brings memories of loving to colour or hating it. Maybe you liked to draw and create your own picture with those wonderful colour choices. You may look at a package of crayons and say to yourself, ‘well I know for sure I’m not an artist’ or ‘I love art’.
I loved colouring and still like to pull out an adult colouring book and relax with filling in my choices of colours on someone else’s drawing. I have always loved to doodle, colour maps and do collage, but never considered myself an artist.
A Crayon Box
A box of crayons takes me back to childhood and early school days and to filling school supply lists for my children. Every generation seems to enjoy a package of crayons, at least at certain ages.
Little children gravitate to those coloured sticks. Having no paper or colouring book never stops little ones from expressing themselves. They might colour on the walls or themselves.
I still remember trying to scrub red crayon off a light coloured wall after my two year old daughter and niece decided to redecorate for me.
Wandering the aisles containing crayons offers boxes of various amounts. No longer do we only have to choose the original eight colours made by Crayola, although their original blue remains the most popular crayon today with original red coming in at number twelve.
Learning From a Crayon Box
But what can we learn from a box of crayons? I found this little quote by American author, Robert Fulghum. “We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names all are different colours, But they all have to learn to live in the same box.”
Just like every crayon in a box is unique, so are people. We may like some colours better than others. We may have some people in our lives who we are better friends with and others who rub us the wrong way. Some people love math and science. Others enjoy reading, history or the arts. Still others have the gift of hospitality and love to entertain others in their home. We all do different things. We are at different points on our journey of life. We have some puzzle pieces the same like our need for food, water, shelter, clothing, love and acceptance. Other puzzle pieces are unique to us.
I Corinthians 12:27 – 31 (NIV) says,
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Our Roles
Each of us has a role, none are more important than any other job. They are necessary and we need to learn to work together just like we need all the colours in a crayon box to make a beautiful picture.
Paul talks about being members of one body in Romans 12:3-6 (NIV)
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
I Peter 3:8 (NIV) says,
finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, by sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Gifts and Abilities
God created us and gave us different gifts and abilities. We face good times and challenges as we travel our life’s journey. May we live humbly before God, be compassionate and kind to others. How we carry out kindness will look different for each of us but the results will be a more harmonious life, pleasing to God and we can only do that with his help.
Whenever we pick up a box of crayons, whether a box of eight or a huge box of sixty-four with the sharpener in the box, maybe we can remember some of the lessons from these crayons and be guided by the word of God.
Another unknown quote I found says, “We are a box of crayons, each of us is unique, but when we get together the picture is complete.”
Whatever memories a box of crayons triggers in you, may you remember the wonders of colour in creation and praise God for our uniqueness and his love.
What is your favourite colour? Do you enjoy colouring? Share your comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Carol Harrison
Listen to Carol’s program Puzzle Pieces Of Life or visit Carol’s website carolscorner.ca
Carol Harrison B.Ed is a speaker and published author with one book, Amee’s Story and stories in twelve anthologies. She is passionate about helping people of all ages and ability levels find their voice and reach their fullest potential.
She knows, through personal experience that some of life’s experiences are tougher than others. She encourages people that even in the twists and turns of life God’s amazing grace provides hope.
She lives in Saskatoon, SK with her husband Brian. They have four adult children and a dozen grandchildren.
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Image Credits:
Wax Crayons – Wokandapix
Crayons – Kranich17
Colouring Book – FotoRieth
Colouring Flower – Mohamed_Hossan
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