Ephesians 2:10

Wemmicks were a community of painted wooden people in the children’s book You Are Special by Max Lucado.

Some of the Wemmicks were new and shiny. Others were chipped and peeling. Every day in Wemmicksville, they all received stickers. Some got gold stars, while others were given gray dots.

Punchinello, the main character, suddenly realized that only the pretty, shiny Wemmicks received the gold stars. He, and the others, got gray dots. So he decided he must not be worth very much.

One day Punchinello met Lucia, who didn’t have any stickers, gold stars, or gray dots. She explained that labels never stick to her. Punchinello decides he, too, wants to be free from labels. So they both go to Eli, the creator of all Wemmicks. Punchinello is surprised to learn that Eli loves him just the way he made him. In fact, Eli explains, stickers only stick to those who allow them to remain stuck.

This simple kids’ story teaches profound lessons of unconditional love, healthy self-esteem, and individual uniqueness. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul reminds us that God made us just the way He wanted us. And that we enjoy a special place in His plan.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Consider three lessons we learn from this verse.

(1) We are God’s Workmanship.

He made us. Created us. And equipped us to accomplish his purpose. The NLT translates the word “workmanship” as “masterpiece.” It’s the Greek word poiema. It literally means a work of art. It’s the root of our English word poem.

You are God’s masterpiece. A divine work. Nothing but the highest and best is created by God. Like the artist who takes a blank canvas and with brushes and paints creates a beautiful painting, God can take our lives and develop a masterpiece.

(2) God created us in Christ for Good Works

God made us, not only to be good but to do good. It is our way of serving others and finding our own special, unique role for ministry. It is a way for us to add value to the world in which we live. To give back. To make a difference.

As Colly Caldwell expressed it in his Ephesians commentary, “There is no more credit to us in good works after justification than before.” Our works are divinely decreed and serve as a means to glorify God. In them, we fulfill God’s purpose, express our love for Him, demonstrate our trust, and find fulfillment.

(3) We should Walk in Them.

The word “walk” in Ephesians figuratively speaks to a way of life. A manner of living. A type of behavior. Our conduct must comport with God’s creative commission for us and our commitment to His cause.

God defines what is good and reveals in His Word the type of work that He ordained. These works regulate our lives. Provide spiritual focus. Develop self-discipline. And result in a fruitful harvest.

Accepting the person God made us to be and doing His work, will move us from selfish motives of material success to spiritual service and divine significance.

At the conclusion of the Wemmick story, Eli said to Punchinello “You ARE special because I made you, and I don’t make mistakes.”

Neither does God. You are His masterpiece.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman