Life's jigsaw

It seems to me, life is a jigsaw of I finding out and adding to. Faith itself is built that way.
If we put a piece in the jigsaw from every gem of knowledge we receive, every happiness and every blessing, the pattern represents our faith.
Every positive in one's life is recorded by a jigsaw piece. Every person who influences our lives in a constructive way is recorded and every friend who has contributed significantly or sustained us by that friendship. Every good deed or endeavour for the welfare of other, every joy of success achieved in our jobs or recreation and the love we receive and give is faithfully recorded in some way as divine hand decides. An indelible memory,such as finding a wildflower, is part of the picture being built up.
The border of the jigsaw is the easiest part to complete and consists of our childhood background and our biological and inherent characteristics that necessarily influence and form the basis of our lives.
No one can escape one's environment so faith is what one builds up. If faith is in what we know (the late Revd. Browning) it is based on experience and knowledge and is distinguished from hope by that definition.
A child who dies young has a small jigsaw. Adults have a medium sized jigsaw and gifted and great people have much more to record: many successes it and achievements such as a doctor of medicine and a person of great charity like Mother Teresa of Calcutta whose picture probably has only a few spaces to be filled in.
A space represents a deprivation of faith or the remaining ie. unfulfilled part of one's life. No sin or evil is ever recorded: everything we have done wrong or badly has no place on the jigsaw of faith by definition. There are spaces for all suffering, trauma and deprivation but the spaces are part of the incomplete picture. No one can interpret accurately the character of the unfinished work of faith. The Lord places the pieces as he sees fit and only He sees the final result in entirety. We may see it ourselves at the end of our life and at the beginning of the new.
The jigsaw of a criminal would have many negatives but pictures can be painted from both the positive and negative aspects and the image or picture here may be no less clear: it is not for us to say. Perhaps every last piece will be filled in at the time of his death.
The starving child in Africa may have many spaces and gaps in the border of his jigsaw before he receives food, comfort and care. As the child's health and happiness is established the inside of the jigsaw gradually builds up and some border pieces are inserted by almighty and merciful hands to replace some of the misery.
Mental and physical suffering and sickness create empty spaces in the jigsaw. If it is acute or chronic the Lord may only deliver us at the time of our death. But in promising to restore our health to us (Jeremiah 30:17) and joy in this life (Luke 10 25/28) His intention is clear.
Sometimes the restoration of a sadness or broken heart takes half a lifetime but when He heals no scar is left: He restores every hurt perfectly and unconditionally.
As our life advances the jigsaw of our life is taking form, pattern, image or picture. Where there is great achievement much of the pattern will be filled in; where there is great love or charity the eyes and face of the Lord may be very clear in that person's jigsaw of faith. Where deprivation and suffering is acute Christ's eyes or compassion may show quite clearly against a negative or incomplete background. The pictures are never to be seen complete: no one knows the full extent of another's difficulties in life. Many pictures will be vague in some respects. Those who have not met the Lord may still live well; have a colourful and strong optimism and so do much that is good and useful. Perhaps they will see Christ's face late in life even His face in the snow when it may become clear at last.
The jigsaw at the end of one's life may be entirely different from someone else's, it may have few pieces to fill in or many but the Lord intends, I believe, that any remaining negatives will be restored in the next life, the whole to be the basis of the new adventure of eternal life. Are we perfect at that moment?
His face, even to believers may not be clear. The jigsaw of one's faith in life is ever an impression as many things affect our lives outside of faith. In dying perhaps it is only the saints who do not open their eyes at the moment of death. The eyes of an unconscious person may open suddenly at the exact moment of revelation. Even to the faithful the extent of the glory must be unexpected. Some like me who believe they have seen His face may need to walk across the fields towards Him. It is not a question of whether we see his face or even when we see
His face but that We shall see His face.
Amen.

Top | 2005 stories | Writers Home