I am Humpty Dumpty. I sat on a wall watching life pass by me. Everyone paraded in front of me, one by one by one headed to their destinations. Still I sat, waiting for the perfect moment to hop down and begin my own journey. I was timid and hindered by my past, erratic emotions, and a million other fragments…a shell of a whole person. I needed courage and fortitude and strength to take the first step.
Suddenly, I fell. I shattered. People who stopped and tried to fix me couldn’t. Every type of glue was useless. The king’s men and horses were inept. All attempts failed. I remained in pieces and began to wither on the ground, hoping for a miracle.
One day the King of all kings walked by me. He turned, knelt, and picked up a piece of me— self-doubt. Then he embraced the pieces of anger and unforgiveness. He grabbed loneliness and isolation; he touched hurt and fear. He grasped each shard and began to form the puzzle of me.
After finishing, he held my hand and smiled. I peered into his eyes and realized I was a new creation. The old had been replaced. Love had healed every crack and assembled every piece. He gazed at me and said, “Follow me.” I didn’t look back. I stepped toward the future he had planned for me. I didn’t need all the king’s horses or all the king’s men. I only needed the great I Am, the Living Water, the Light of the World, the Healer.
Do you identify with this tale? Are you a wall ornament watching someone else’s parade and dreaming of what could be? Do you desire to live in your purpose? Wishing to be free to roam? What parts of you hold you back? What pieces need to be put together again?
Jeremiah 17:14 (The Message) states it perfectly, “God, pick up the pieces. Put me back together again. You are my praise!”
It’s okay that we’re Humpty Dumpty because we have a master craftsman who knows how to put us together again—not the way we were but in a new way that reveals who we are and who we can be. We only need to stretch out our hand and follow him.
About Shelley Pulliam
Howdy! (A girl from Oklahoma has to use this as her greeting) I’m Shelley Pulliam, executive director of Arise Ministries and former teacher of hormone-filled 8th graders. But my real claim to fame rests in my award as second grade spelling bee champ and my recent gun-handling skills as I train to competition shoot. It helps me be on guard when Satan comes knocking. I’m a voracious reader and can frequently be found at the theater enjoying movie marathons where my record stands at six in one day. I’m a single, never married, who loves to pour into children at every opportunity. Let me know if you have any for sale. You can connect with me on social media. https://www.instagram.com/shelleypulliam/