If Only I Had a Green Nose

Today my cooperative teacher read our class the book If Only I Had a Green Nose by Max Lucado. I have always loved his work especially his children's books based on Eli and his creation- the Wemmicks. For those of you who are not familiar with these books I will elaborate. The main character in this series is a wooden man named Punchinello. He is forever getting sidetracked and worrying about what the other Wemmicks think and forgetting that his maker, Eli's opinion is the only one that matters.

In this particular book Punchinello starts out in Eli's workshop. He and his two friends are looking out the window of the workshop at the scene in town below. The Wemmick's are all lined up waiting to get their noses painted green because it is the new fad. At first Punchinello and his friends think that what the other Wemmicks are doing is silly but in time they fall to the pressure to conform and they too end up with noses painted green.

They begin to walk around town with their noses high in the air. Not only does this make it impossible to see where they are going; it is also very painful. Those things don't change Punchinello's position on the importance of having a green nose like everyone else.

Soon green noses are out and in come red noses, followed by blue, yellow, purple, etc, you get the picture. One day Punchinello runs into a friend that reminds him how silly it is to change yourself to try and be like everyone else. Eli created each Wemmick with his own unique characteristics and those things are what make each of them special. Punchinello returns once again to Eli's workshop embarrassed for his foolishness. Eli lovingly begins to sand away all the layers of paint that Punchinello had applied to his nose. The sanding is painful but Punchinello knows that it is necessesary in order to once agian be exactly like Eli intended his creation to be.

This book made me think about all the times I have let myself become consumed with the latest fad and ignore the unique person that Christ created me to be. I may not have the perfect nose (even though I had plastic surgery), I don't have the perfect body (I like to eat and hate exercise), I let myself become obsessed with whatever catches my attention at the time (felt foods, etc), and I fail to go into the workshop of my maker and just sit down for a chat. I forget to spend time with the person who loves me more than anyone else. He loves me so much that He sings over me and I don't even consult Him when deciding what improvements I need. He designed me to worship Him, to praise Him, and that is the last thing that comes to mind on some days.

God help me to stay continually focused on You. Remind me to seek the things You want to do in me. Help me to become the person You want me to be. Fill me until my life overflows and Your spirit begins to splash out on everyone around me.