Do you ever feel like there are places or people with whom you fit best? Like, your life just makes more sense when you're with them because they "get you?"
Lately I have been learning of all sorts of great shows thanks to Netflix. Have you ever seen the show Switched at Birth? Oh my gosh. So good. The series starts with a scene in which a teenage girl, Bay, is telling her parents about a blood test they have at school, and how she is type AB. Her dad tells her that is impossible, because he and her mother are not that type and that it's genetically impossible for the mixing of the parents' types to produce AB. Indeed, Bay with her dark and wavy hair looks nothing like her fair skinned and red-headed mom and light brown haired dad. And funny, because just that afternoon, she'd asked her mom why she thought they were so different. Bay is wrought with artistic prowess and overflowing emotions, and mom with her athleticism and differing world view.
Bay's brother teases her that she is probably not part of the family. They joke, but Bay suggests that she and her parents get tested. They find out that she is not their biological daughter! The babies were switched at birth. So they find the family. Bay meets her mom, a Puerto Rican artist and hair stylist with a stormy passion for life. And Bay's mom meets Daphne, an easygoing red headed basketball player. Things start to make sense for them.
I love that God illustrates in nature the true things about our life on a grander scale. We are fashioned uniquely, although we do have characteristics that are similar to our parents. Knowing our parents helps us understand why we are the way we are, and it places us under a protective covering of adults who can detect and develop certain characteristics in their kids. When this doesn't happen, though, or when parents don't value who their kids are, kids may grow up to seek validity elsewhere. We may surround ourselves with people who seem similar to us. While it's wonderful to have such friends, I'm learning to watch my motives for this. It's good for two similar people to understandingly help each other grow, but it's dangerous to seek validation from any human.
Why? Well. There really is only One person who fully understands you. Even a parent with similar ways as you is not the same person as you. And since you have two parents, both of whom you take after to some degree, there is no one human who fully gets it. But GOD! Ohhh. God fashioned and designed you with His own hands. He dreamed up what you would be like. How He would give you the perfect mix of characteristics, how your hair and eyes would compliment each other, how you would enjoy that band you love, and how you would like to eat mushrooms. He basically took the things His own personality is made of and placed the right mix of Himself into YOU! Then He crafted you. And He couldn't wait to meet you.
I am tearing up just writing this, overwhelmed by His affection for you. He fashioned you and loves you SO much! He adopts you as His very own, willing to forgive all your rebellion just so He can be with you. He loves you so much that He paid the price of coming to earth as a limited human being (imagine going from being God to being a person?), enduring abuse from people, and ultimately dying a criminal's death. And being rejected by the ones He formed and came to rescue. He didn't come to eradicate sin so He wouldn't have to deal with our junk. If He wanted to get rid of sin, He could have destroyed the whole world. But He came to show you that He was willing to sacrifice His reputation and blood to die in your place. Our sin deserves death, but because He died and came to life, there is now no reason anyone has to say, "Being close to God and obeying Him is too hard." It seems hard, but He helps us. Not just so we are "good," but so we can do the good He loves to do...with Him! Hang out and co-labor with the One who loves you! And He is so committed to you! Ahhh!
It is in HIM that you make perfect sense! Now, you can go anywhere and be with anyone, and feel fully confident of your place in this world. No more avoiding those you don't think understand you. You will have misunderstandings even with the most kindred spirits, but you can stand your ground in who you are because you are justified by Him!
Be blessed in walking out your uniqueness, beloved. The world needs you to be fully you, bringing the perspective you have and helping people see the world in brand new ways!
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