There is a song by Max Frost and the Troopers released in 1968 titled “Shape of Things to Come”. The lyrics begins with “There’s a new sun rising up angry in the sky. There’s a new voice crying but not afraid to die. Let the old world make believe it’s blind and deaf and dumb but nothing can change the shape of things to come.” Perhaps these words tell a story of an old world gone and new one emerging. Perhaps I am reading too much into the lyrics. Regardless, the appearance of someone or something as we see them from an external view defines their shape. Do we really know the shape of things to come? Is the shape we see a person now, the same as in the beginning or in the end?
If you look at a seed, can you tell what that seed will grow into when matured? Maybe, if you are a horticulturist, you may be able to recognize a certain seed and what it will transform into. What about the rest of us and what if the seed is of someone? Yes, there are experts in the medical field that can determine the sex of a human embryo. They may even be able to determine known medical defects in advance of the child’s birth. Can anyone determine the ultimate shape and contribution to the world by examining a seed? It’s a miracle of transformation from one shape to another. “God gives it the sort of shape that he chooses, and he gives each of the seeds its own shape..” (1 Cor 15:38) Now, I know some of you who read this may begin to formulate your opinions of where I am going with this line of communication. You may be thinking I am writing about the creation of life and at what stage does it start. I am not going to get into the timing, but I hope all agree that the physical shape of life changes from a seed to something we can all recognize from its external appearance. Do we treat people in the same way that we want to be treated? Sadly, in this 21st century, we still have preconceived notions of the shape a person should appear. I am not just referring to the pigment of our skin, but the physical shape perceived as acceptable. I saw a beautiful story on the TV about a girl with Down Syndrome who is a phenomenal golf player. She has a wonderful attitude on top of her excellent skills on the golf course. That shatters the mode of our understanding of what a person can accomplish based on their shape.
My challenge yesterday, today and in the future is to look beyond my limited understanding of the shape of a person and see the real miracle God has revealed. Treat all people as you want to be treated (Luke 6:31)
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