When my third nephew, Deacon was younger, he LOVED putting lego puzzles together! It was something we did together just about every time I visited. As he got older, they got harder and more complex! We have put together trucks, fire trucks, planes, ships, you name it! We would proudly take a picture and he would then display them on his shelves.
Now here's the thing about these lego projects: you had to follow the directions. ONE piece out of place and the whole thing was ruined. You would have to take it apart at the incorrect spot and go again. The other thing about legos is that lots of kids have great imaginations and can design all kinds of things with legos.
I took a friend's son to the Lego Movie. I feel like I should watch it again because it had so many subtle lessons for life. The idea was that all of these lego people had routines that they followed every day. On the other hand there were those called the "master builders", who had great imaginations and could make anything they could think up. The leader of the land was a guy who wanted everything to be the same, everyone had to follow the "instructions" and could not think, or do, outside of the box. He had workers called, "micro-managers" who would go around and make sure everyone was following the instructions.
His goal was to capture all of the "master builders" and lock them up. The story had been told that there would be one person who would come and be able to save the land from leader. He was called, "the special" - "the most talented, capable person who would do amazing things because he was so special". He could change everything.
The lego who was "the special" didn't think he was all that much. Nothing special about him. No one noticed him during the day. He did his job and there was nothing about him that stood out. However, in his mind he would come up with all these crazy ideas to build things....like a double decker couch with cup holders (which in the end was what saved he and his friends from certain lego death).
When he would mention his ideas, he was made fun of. No one thought much of his ideas. So he gave up and stopped trying. When he went to save all of the master builders, they ended up laughing at him and he was convinced again that there was nothing special about him. After lots of lego drama, "the special's" mentor said this to him: "don't worry about what everyone thinks, embrace what is special about you".
In the end, of course, "special" saved all of lego land from the leader and his micro-managers and the land no longer looked like the same "block buildings made with instructions to be followed". Legos embraced being different, not fitting the mold and believing that what made them special was what was on this inside.
Lessons:
1. Think out of the box
2. Be ok with who you are - you are made in the image of God and are special.
3. Don't worry about what others think of you (that's hard)
4. Trying to make people fit into your mold isn't going to work, isn't right or healthy.
5. You are the most talented, capable person and will do amazing things because you are special. You can change everything (through the power of the Holy Spirit and with the gifts God has given you).
This ..... from a lego movie.