One Beaver, Many Twigs

Boy Scouts are often divided into groups and given names of animals. There are Beavers, Bobwhites, Eagles, Foxes, Owls, Bears, Buffalos, and Antelopes.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians in chapter 12 that it takes all parts of the body to make up the body and that each part is needed. We can apply that same lesson to the animals. Each animal plays a part in our environment, and all are needed. An Owl is wise. An eagle is majestic. A bear is strong. A sly fox figures things out.

But let me tell you something cool about Beavers. They are excellent builders. Now, if I were going to build something, I would want a scale drawing, cut list, and straight lumber, planed and square. I would go to the local lumber store and get everything I need. Not the beaver. He is cool winging it with whatever. With this inconsistent building material, the Beaver closely studies the form of each twig, stick, and log, and places them in a spot where they can have the most strength and support for the others. He does not use blueprints or have a predetermined plan. The beavers use what they have to create the strongest and most resilient structure.

Now, let’s take the parts analogy of apostle Paul and apply them to the sticks. Imagine God is the builder. We are sticks and twigs. Each stick and twig is unique and different. Some have knots, chutes, forks, bends, and even if they are close in size and shape, their bark has a unique pattern. The point is that no two sticks are the same. Wesley Chapel is that structure built by God out of unique sticks and twigs. When each of us seeks God’s will and service according to our own uniqueness, God makes something strong and beautiful.

Please take a moment to meditate on this and thank God for all the different people in the world and in our church. Let’s seek God’s will and the possibility that we can all be used to create something strong and powerful in our world.