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“Identically Beautiful”
When I was young, I was bigger than most kids. God also chose to bless me with gifts and talents that served me well in athletics. Since football was the chosen sport among my family members, that’s where I landed. In elementary school, I was virtually unchallenged.
However, there was a team from one of the Catholic schools that had identical twins playing for them. One was the quarterback and the other was the halfback. In football gear, the only thing that set them apart was the number on their jerseys. On the inside, however, they were very different. They also had different skills and abilities, but both were standouts on the field.
I played both offense and defense, so on defense, I stared into the eyes of those twins for years. When they took off their helmets, I still couldn’t tell them apart. I had to look at the numbers on their jerseys until, finally, one of them got braces. Whew! I could finally call them by name when they wore their street clothes.
They’re now grown, and I don’t have contact with either of them. However, early in my ministry, one of them came to my church. He had moved out of state and was home visiting family. He was also answering God’s call into ministry.
Of course, this happened to be during one of the few vacations I had taken, so I wasn’t able to see him. However, we communicated briefly over the next couple of weeks, and I was honored that he had chosen to attend the church unannounced. It meant a great deal to me.
Both twins are faithful men. One is now a pastor, and the other actively serves God through his church and community. Both are extremely important as children of God. Both make a difference, but they are very different in how they fulfill God's calling in their lives. Identical in value and purpose, but different in gifts, skills, and experiences.
Because each of us is created uniquely in the image of God, each of us has something special to offer. Children raised in the same home are still individuals, even when they are raised by the same parents and caregivers. Identical twins may look the same on the outside, but on the inside, they are very different.
In our walk of faith and life, we should always try to honor what God has given us. What does that mean? Simply, it means that each of us has something of value, and each of us can serve God in a way that makes a difference in the lives of others, as well as in our own lives.
Granted, as we age, our skills and abilities change. In fact, we might no longer be able to do some of the things we wish we could. However, God has provided us with something different. God may even have given us new, unique abilities that are just as valuable, if not more valuable, than those we had before. Even the mistakes we once made can become valuable, both as teaching tools and opportunities to lead others.
God has created you with purpose. God didn’t make an accident, and God isn’t punishing you. God loves you, and God has a purpose for you. The Church needs you, too, as part of God’s outreach into the world.
If your current circumstances have you puzzled, upset, or even depressed, don’t lose hope. God is with you. In the eyes of God, you are just as beautiful and valuable as anyone God has ever created.
And that, by itself, is more than enough to make a difference in the world.
God Bless, Brock
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