Steve Jobs, the California-born former CEO of Apple once remarked: “Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Matthew 9:17 reminds us: “Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
The idiom and literal definition of “A round peg in a square hole” suggests a person who is unsuited or lacks congruence or affinity for a particular job, situation, or environment. A person befitting this title may be considered out of alignment with the environment. It indicates a mismatch between a person's skills, personality, or general characteristics and the ideal requirements of a particular role or setting. The phrase is primarily regarded as a visual metaphor that deems that a round peg will not properly fit into a square hole. It contrasts the feasibility that round will ideally suit round, and square invites only square.
God often uses His chosen ones to convey messages or perform tasks that may be considered contrary to their normal characteristics, thus becoming a round peg in a square hole. Jeremiah was a prophet who is often seen as a "square peg in a round hole" as his assigned message of repentance and warnings were not well received by the people of Israel. Jeremiah 1:1-19 reminds us: The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.”
Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”
Being or feeling out of place in a particular role or structure can detrimentally invoke notions of exclusion, rejection, unwantedness and possibly a lack of self-worth. It may be taken to heart and cause deeper personal issues. Conversely, if one can rise above its imperfection, and disregard the severity that follows, it allows one to be individual, express themselves as they feel, innovate and accomplish new things for the benefit of all. Jesus Himself might have been ascribed by some as a round peg in a square hole. James 1:2-18 reminds us: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
It was once remarked: "The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone." (Source unknown) The spiritual walk of life is solely dependent upon the choices of individuals and their thinking. It is a conscious and ethereal journey of growth and understanding. The words of God should ideally be considered as the words and guidance of life. Some may deem that the Bible is merely a historical written account of past religious events, but it has far more purpose than that. It is a statement of fact for many, depending on the interpretations and perspectives of each. It reveals God to humanity in all His glory, It tells of His actions for the benefit of mankind and gives a hope for eternal life to all believers. It guides and comforts in times of uncertainty, but above all it signifies the love that God has for every one of us.
A round peg in a square hole suggests a strong element of incompatibility. Discord will always remain prevalent as the two factors are not designed or destined to fit together perfectly. They become proportionate to the dissimilarity between chalk and cheese. To be successful in any new attempts or adventures in life, there has to be an element of similarity or like-mindedness. These are the aspects of an existence that may not always be easy to comprehend for the human mind. If we place our reliance on God rather than to purely trust our own wisdom or abilities, we may avoid the pitfalls of being out of alignment with others. God will guide us in any forward progression with our best interests at heart. It is an invitation and acceptance to listen to His advice and heed His good intentions to achieve a clear and purposeful existence. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Amen.
