ONE OF A KIND
There is a saying on my computer that greets me every day, it says, "Stop hating yourself for everything you aren't. Start loving yourself for everything that you are." This message was recently confirmed to me through one of my favorite Christian authors - brother Rick Renner - in his monthly newsletter I subscribe to.
In Rick's exhortation, he mentioned 2 Corinthians 10:12. The verse reads -
Mr. Renner explained that although this verse addresses believers in Corinth who thought themselves spiritually superior, "there is a principle in this verse that the Holy Spirit used to help set me free from the spirit of inferiority that tried to plague me as I stepped out to obey God's call on my life. And it is exactly the point I want to get across to you today. God intentionally made you different from others. You are actually a result of His divine design. Your mannerisms, insights, and style that are different from others may be the very qualities that make you uniquely positioned to fulfill a specific need." So, on the encouragement of 2 Corinthians 10:12 - stop comparing yourself to others.
Rick accounts for our shortcomings and challenges, but provides hope and direction when he says - "Of course, we all have areas in our lives that need to be changed, and God will show those areas one at a time. But if you will simply quit comparing yourself to others today — if you will stop disparaging the very qualities that cause you to stand out from those around you — you will open the door to freedom from a spirit of inferiority so that your unique gifts can begin to shine brightly as God intended."
His encouragement to me and now mine to you reminds me of another verse that praises God for my design and nobody else. Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." So, as Mr. Renner says, "embrace the uniqueness that made [makes] me [you] shine differently from others." Discover, celebrate and implement the qualities that make you unique.
In Rick's exhortation, he mentioned 2 Corinthians 10:12. The verse reads -
- "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise."
Mr. Renner explained that although this verse addresses believers in Corinth who thought themselves spiritually superior, "there is a principle in this verse that the Holy Spirit used to help set me free from the spirit of inferiority that tried to plague me as I stepped out to obey God's call on my life. And it is exactly the point I want to get across to you today. God intentionally made you different from others. You are actually a result of His divine design. Your mannerisms, insights, and style that are different from others may be the very qualities that make you uniquely positioned to fulfill a specific need." So, on the encouragement of 2 Corinthians 10:12 - stop comparing yourself to others.
Rick accounts for our shortcomings and challenges, but provides hope and direction when he says - "Of course, we all have areas in our lives that need to be changed, and God will show those areas one at a time. But if you will simply quit comparing yourself to others today — if you will stop disparaging the very qualities that cause you to stand out from those around you — you will open the door to freedom from a spirit of inferiority so that your unique gifts can begin to shine brightly as God intended."
His encouragement to me and now mine to you reminds me of another verse that praises God for my design and nobody else. Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." So, as Mr. Renner says, "embrace the uniqueness that made [makes] me [you] shine differently from others." Discover, celebrate and implement the qualities that make you unique.
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