AMY LARSON
Staff Writer
Growing up, each of us heard again and again that we were unique. We heard it at school, from family, or from whichever Sesame Street character happened to be on television that day. When we were little, it was easy to believe that there was no one in the whole world like us.
But now we have grown up. The world was smaller then, and we were much more innocent. We recognize now that, in many ways, we are just like everyone else, with the same aspirations and hobbies. We find it hard to believe that across our entire, massive planet a person like us does not exist. And, if there is someone else exactly like us, then we aren’t that special or unique anymore, are we?
Thus, we become complacent. We try to fit in with society, with those around us, since we don’t believe there is anything special about us anyway. We follow norms and common sense over our intuition or instinct. The goal is to blend in, not to stick out. Those who are different are ostracized and mocked. The times we do think that we hold some special potential, we brush it off. Yeah, special — just like everybody else.
Why do we do this? Why should growing up equate compromise and status quo?
God created each of us as one-of-a-kind beings. He’s very creative, you know. The differences within humanity are just one way of God showing his “wisdom in its rich variety” (Ephesians 3:10). We were created with a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11), and droning along, following the status quo, is not it.
If we have a personality, hobby or talent that does not fit society’s ideas of what we should have, we’re quick to oppress it. Not only that, but we are trained by our superiors to strive for average. We try our hardest to fit in with what others think we should be rather than what we think (or, far more importantly, what God thinks) we should be. Being ourselves sometimes isn’t easy, especially in a society that screams conformity. But what makes us think that life will be better if we’re average at something easier for us than if we excel at something that’s difficult? Settling for average is safer, sure, but when did the emphasis in our lives go from deepening our lives to simply lengthening them?
God created us as originals. Try as we may on our own to live the life we think that we should, we are unable to do it without Him. There is no way we can live the original life God created for us without the One who it created it. Forfeiting our purpose and personality to fit in is not a life at all — “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
You will lead most happily if you lead the life God created you to live. Jesus told his disciples, “My purpose is to give [you] a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). This applies to us as well. We will live the fullest, most rewarding life if we live as originals.
How, then, do we live in such a way? It requires a lot. We must sacrifice our need to maintain status quo for our need to follow the passions God has placed in us. We must trade keeping everyone around us happy for pleasing God. Finally, we must exchange our practical plans for things that may be less conventional.
Instead of following society, we must endeavor to be like God. The One that created you is an innovative, unconventional God. You were made in His image (Genesis 1:26), so you, too, were made to be that way. When we stop denying who we are, when we truly live as the people God created us to be, we won’t just be living — we’ll be fully alive.
11-08-2007