You are unique. There’s no other you.
Your fingerprint is just one small example. The likelihood of two people sharing identical fingerprints is estimated to be less than one in 64 billion. Said differently, it doesn’t happen. Statistically, in fact, it would take more than a million years for two people with “matching” fingerprints to appear in a reliable database. And even if your fingerprint seemed to be a perfect match with that of somebody else, upon further examination of the minute details, other features of your print would set it apart.
That’s because you’re unique. It’s just that simple. In the intricate tapestry of God’s design, your fingerprint stands as an impeccable masterpiece. What is etched upon the canvas of your skin, by the One who gave you life, is a universe of evidence that your Creator designed you to be distinct from every other person on Earth. God desires for you to be different. To stand out. Like no other, to shine for Him!
And your fingerprint is just the beginning. The beginning of the uniqueness of you. Consider that the Lord has given you your own personality. It isn’t exactly like anyone else’s. The same can be said about your unique temperament. You likely share some temperamental traits with others you know, but I don’t have to remind you that those similarities go only so far. No one out there is your carbon copy.
And we haven’t even talked about your life experiences. Again, they’re wondrously unique. Your heritage. Your family. Your education and training. Your jobs. Your successes. Your failures. No one else has your story. It’s the story of you. When our gracious Father is writing your story – and He is – your lowest moment can propel you to your greatest victory!
Your perspective is as unique as you, and it’s invaluable.
And God has gifted you, uniquely. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus reminds us that life is about much more than our individual agendas. God has gifted each one of us for His own specific purposes. Our uniqueness is part of God’s cosmic plan, as the Lord intends to use us to bless others – and to extend the canopy of Christ’s kingdom to others. You and I are His hands and feet. We’re the servants on duty. We’re responsible to use our gifts wisely, and never to forget that we will give an account.
When it comes to a robust embrace of the unique life that God has given us to enjoy for His glory, one of our biggest handicaps is that we allow ourselves to get trapped in the folly of comparison. In this regard, social media has done us no favors, as we’re incessantly reminded how perfectly everybody else’s life is going. Nonsense! We’re all gifted differently, but everyone has struggles. Everyone has vulnerabilities. Everyone experiences loss, sadness, shame, and regret along the way. Everyone would like to be better at this, that, or the other. Nobody’s relationships are perfect, regardless of how stunning we find their Facebook pics.
Sometimes, what we’re secretly longing for is somebody else’s life. But think about it for a minute. Would we really want that? The answer is a clear “no,” and we can answer that question unequivocally for one significant reason: God knows exactly what is best, and exactly what He’s doing. There, in the knowledge of the One who does all things well, you and I can rest. We’re exactly who we’re supposed to be.
Friend, don’t let the world squeeze you into its boring and inflexible mold. If you let down your guard in this way, you’ll lose the best parts of you. You’ll unknowingly eclipse the distinctive spark that is your individuality, and end up void of identity and unsure of who you really are.
Instead, find your honest-to-goodness identity in Jesus Christ! That’s where your happiness will bubble over. Of course you have some imperfections and flaws, as does each one of us, but they’re no match for your gifts and strengths. You don’t have to be like anybody else to be welcome at the only table that matters, because to be in Christ is to be “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Beloved! That’s who you are. God’s marvelous and unstoppable plan is to use you – yes, you – to bring beauty to His world.
Being you will feel a little risky at times. Authentic can be scary, as we’ve all succumbed to the allure of celebrity culture a little more than we’d like to admit. But it’s a lonely culture, and we’re choosing to step out on a limb of not caring whether or not we fit in. We’re choosing to trust our God, the Designer par excellence. The Designer of us. And here’s His all-wise verdict (Isaiah 43:1): “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” When you and I thrive in that identity, we open the door for others to celebrate with us by doing the same.
The party starts when, under the Lordship of Christ, you decide to go be you.
If you’re an athlete, go for it! If you’re a dancer, let ‘er rip! If you’re a mom of preschoolers, you couldn’t have a more important job! If you’re a praying grandpa, only eternity will reveal the mammoth worth of your present vocation!
There will only be one of you, ever. In all of human history, you will be you only this one time. That makes right now monumentally important. If I wanted to be you, I couldn’t. Neither could anybody else be you, now or ever.
You are you, and you are it. So make it count.
Pastor Charles
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