In the animated Christmas classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the viewing audience is introduced to the Island of Misfit Toys. The toys living on this island are ostracized from the other toys in the world because they are functionally or cosmetically flawed. On this island, for example, there lives a squirt gun that only shoots jelly; a toy train with square wheels; a stuffed elephant with spots; even a Charlie in the Box who laments that he was not given the name “Jack.”
The mood on the Island of Misfit toys is understandably somber. The misfit toys long to be played with, but no one ever comes to the island to claim them. Each Christmas Eve brings about a particular sadness on the island as the inhabitants realize that other “normal” toys will be joyfully embraced by eager children the next morning. The misfit toys, on the other hand, can only dream of such an embrace. After all, in the words of one of the misfit toys, “no one wants to play with a Charlie in the Box!”
As a child, when I watched Rudolph for the first time, the Island of Misfit Toys inspired me to believe that all of my toys were imbued with a personality and a network of emotions. As soon as the show was over, I literally ran to my toy box and pulled out some of the toys with which I had not played for months–the Magic 8 Ball, the Weebles, the Etch a Sketch, the Rock’em Sock’em Robots, the G.I. Joe doll (who was missing an arm due to a grueling struggle with the family dog). When all of these toys were scattered before me, I proceeded to whisper to all of them the sentiments that were emerging from my 5-year-old heart. My whispers that evening sounded something like this: “None of you are misfit toys! I promise! You’re still special, even though you might not be as new as my other toys. Don’t be sad, ’cause I’ll never throw you away!” It was a memorable manifestation of the beautiful innocence of childhood.
It occurs to me that the birth of Jesus some two-thousand years ago was God’s mysterious and glorious way of whispering precisely that same message to all of humankind: “None of you are misfit toys, I promise! I’ll never throw you away!” Part of the good news of Christmas, in other words, is that each one of us matters to the One who created us, regardless of our size, shape, temperament, or situation in life. In fact, we matter to God so deeply that God would settle for nothing less than pouring the very best of divinity into a Bethlehem feeding trough for the sake of our salvation and redemption.
It comes down to this, I suppose: Christ came even for the Charlies in the Box and the spotted elephants. Because, in the Kingdom of God, there is no such thing as a misfit toy. Thanks be to God!
Amen. But…whatever happened to all your toys? I’ll bet you THREW THEM AWAY!
Seriously, though, I’m preaching largely this same message on Sunday, but I’m using a clip from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as an illustration…”It’s not a bad tree, really; maybe all it needs is a little love.”
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you too, Keith!
Truth be told, I could never bring myself to throw any of my toys away! I always gave them to somebody. Or somebody else threw them away without my knowing about it!
It sounds like a great sermon you’ll be preaching. Pay particularly close attention to the funny double-take that Charlie Brown does when he sees the tree beautifully decorated! It’s my favorite Peanuts moment–along with Snoopy doing battle with the lawn chair in the Thanksgiving special.
I pray that it goes well.
Another quote during the song on the Island is “We’re all misfits.” I know that it relates to all the toys that are there, but I thought that always spoke to everyone.
Merry Christmas. Great Message
Tears welled up in my eyes, as I read the words you so beautifully wrote. I sometimes thought as a child like a misfit, and wish someone would have whispered in my ear that I was not a misfit toy, that I mattered, that I was loved. But now that I feel it, it is my responsibility to share that message with others. Thank you for sharing this memory with us.
B~
“lick, lick…nothing”
B~
I am glad I wasn’t the only who talked to my toys:) You brought back lots of memories.