Sept 16, 2018                  Dots and Stars                                       

This week as I read our texts on wisdom and harnessing our tongues, I was reminded of the story of Punchinello, written by Max Lucado. 

Punchinello was a Wemmick, and Wemmicks were little wooden people carved by a wood carver named Eli, whose workshop sat on a hill overlooking their village. Now the wemmicks came in all shapes and sizes and they all had jobs, and families, and friends, very much like we all do. But the wemmicks had one thing we don’t have. Each Wemmick carried with them a box of with dots and stars, and they spent all day putting dots and stars on each other

For those Wemmicks who did well at their jobs, who kept their paint looking fresh and new, other Wemmicks would stick bright gold stars on them. For those Wemmicks who weren’t as successful, who looked scuffed or chipped, the other Wemmicks would stick dull gray dots on them. Now Punchinello was one of those unsuccessful Wemmicks, try as he might, he just wasn’t very good at anything, and of course, everywhere he went, and everytime he tried his best, the other Wemmicks, would stick dull gray dots on him. And so, Punchinello, spent most of his time, home alone, or if he did go out, he would hang out with other Wemmicks with lots of grey dots.

But one day, Punchinello met a Wemmick who had no stars or dots, and her name was Lucia. And the reason she had not stars or dots on her, wasn’t because other Wemmicks hadn’t tried to put them on her, but because for some reason, they just wouldn’t stick to her. So Punchinello asked Lucia, why the dots and stars would not stick, and Lucia told him, it was because she went each day to visit Eli the woodcarver. And she encourage Punchinello to go see Eli himself.

Now at first Punchinello was afraid to go see Eli, what if Eli didn’t like him, and put more dots on him, but in time, Punchinello decided that he wasn’t any better off letting the other Wemmicks put dots on him, so he went. As Punchinello, entered Eli’s workship, he got scared again and was about to leave, but then he heard a strong warm voice, “Punchinello! How good it is to see you!” Punchinello, turned to see Eli, and asked, “Really, you know my name?” “Of course I do”, said Eli, “I made you.” Eli looked closely at Punchinello, “I see you have gotten some grey dots” Eli said. And Punchinello said, “I’m sorry, I tried so hard, but ….” “That’s OK Punichello,” Eli said, “I don’t care what the other Wemmicks think, who are they to be giving out dots and stars, it only matters what I think, and Punchinello, I think your pretty special! 

“But why,” asked Punchinello, “I can’t run fast, or sing or dance or do anything well.” “That doesn’t matter to me,” Eli said, “Your special because I made you, and your mine! And when you truly come to believe that, then the dots and the stars will no longer stick to you.” “But why” asked Punchinello. “Because the stars and dots only stick to those who think they matter, and if you believe in my love for you, they won’t matter any more.” Eli said. And then he added, “Punchinello, you come see me every day, and let me remind you that you are special to me because you mine, and someday, the dots and stars won’t stick to you either.”

As Punchinello, let Eli’s shop, he wondered it if was really true, If Eli really thought he was special, and Punchinello said to himself, “I think he really means it” And at that moment Punchinello heard a pop, and one of the grey dots fell to the ground.

This morning in our epistle lesson, James talks about the unbridled tongue, a restless evil, that poisons our lives. With our tongues we give out gold stars and grey dots to one another. Even worse is when we believe what others say and take it to heart and allow it to poison our lives. And from our scripture lessons, and from the story of Punchinello, I have two thoughts about this.

First, that we are called as Christians to bridle our tongues, to find ways to correct and encourage one another with words of kindness and concern, to leave behind the attacks and name calling we see in the worst of others, or that we have experienced ourselves, and get on with living and loving one another. And we are called to find ways for us to love those who are struggling and encourage them in a path that overcomes the powers of sin in their lives.

And the second thought is, that we are called to come to know our Creator, who loves us because he made us, and we are his. We are called to gather with him, in worship weekly and in daily prayer, to remember his great love for us in Jesus Christ, and to grow in our belief in God’s love for each and every one of us. And this is important, the farther we are from God, the more what others think will take hold of us, but the closer we are to God, the less what others think will hold power over us. For through our faith, the grey dots, and the poison in our souls from these harsh words in our lives, will fall from our souls, and we will truly become children of God, at peace in ourselves, and at one with each other and our Creator. And that’s the good news of Jesus Christ!