What is it that makes us want to be like everyone else? It starts at a young age with wanting the toys and food our siblings have. As we grow, we want our hair to be like someone else’s or our clothes, our house, our car or our relationship. Even in ministry we get a serious case of wanting what someone else has; we want to sing like her or teach like her or lead like her. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:16-17, “For by him all things were created, in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” We were all created by a loving God, individually. He formed each one of us, giving us distinct hair, smiles and personalities. There was nothing he left to chance. Instead of forever chasing after what someone else has, we should celebrate how God made us. I will never forget an incident in elementary school wherein the student teacher assigned to our classroom kneeled beside my desk and asked me who taught me how to hold my pencil. I had never even noticed that I held it differently than everyone else, with 4 fingers instead of 3. I don’t know who taught me to do that but she made me feel special because she went on and on about how cool it was and I have always remembered her for that. What if we celebrated our uniqueness instead of striving for sameness? We were made to be different for a reason, “For as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith, if service, in our serving, the one who teaches, in his teaching, the one who exhorts, in his exhortation, the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:4-8) God made us the way we are because he has a specific plan for each one of us in the Kingdom. Trying to change who we are to be like someone else goes against that plan and, “If even lifeless instruments, such as a flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? (1Corinthians 14:7). God created you with love just the way he wanted you to be, celebrate your uniqueness in worship to Him!
