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How Do You Play?
One Sunday morning, during the children’s sermon, one little girl held a beach ball and said, “We can throw this ball up to God, and God can throw it back.” Is that not a beautiful image? Throwing a ball to God and God tossing it back — playing with us simply for the joy of it.
My friend once went to the beach for a quiet time of prayer. She sat on the back steps of her cottage with her Bible open, looking out over the water, deeply immersed in conversation with God. And then a butterfly landed right on her nose. She laughed and said, “That was God — playing with me.” I believe she was right.
Just look at the playful things in nature — God’s first sanctuary. Gurgling streams, dancing light, hummingbirds, goats, fluttering leaves, twinkling stars. I once sat at an outdoor restaurant laughing at a flower bobbing perfectly in time with the music, no matter how the beat changed. It felt playful somehow, as though creation itself was enjoying the moment.
If we were naming the most important traits of God, I’m not sure “playful” would be at the top of the list. We might look for someone who answers prayers quickly or protects the vulnerable. But maybe “playful” belongs on the list too. Of course, life is more than a game. But, even when times are bad or difficult or tense, people who know how to play can imagine other possibilities. A playful spirit knows how to juggle, how to improvise, and how to not only think outside the box but build cool things with the box – space ships, and cat condos, and racecars. A playful mind knows how to combine things that don’t ordinarily belong together – Jesus was a master at that – Samaritans helping Israelites – unheard of – men inviting women like Mary and Martha – to sit down and learn – unheard of. A playful mind knows how to wonder about different ways to do something, including ways that might seem silly or completely improbable at first
One writer says play is the reset button God gives us — a way to renew our lives and see things with fresh eyes. So how do you play? Do you work puzzles, paint, fish, bowl, garden, sing, or play games? Whatever it is, make room for it. Well of Mercy is a divine playground to throw that ball up to God. Let God’s playful spirit renew and refresh you — and watch out for butterflies looking for a place to land.
Lea Slaton
Executive Director
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