God Made Us Different

Over the past few weeks, God has brought home to me how different we all are – different abilities, different history, different experiences, different hopes and dreams, different talents, different perspectives, etc.  While we all are created by God (the Trinity) in His image (Gen 1:27) and are fearfully and wonderfully made, we all have different gifts and abilities given by Him to fulfill His purpose.  So many times we get bogged down by what we can see, without knowing who and what a person brings to the table.  We judge many times with little more than our own perceptions and experiences driving us….which, we must admit may be way off.  

The point is God made us all different for a reason.  Each difference is important in its own right.  Our differences are what make us unique and important to the overall picture.  Have you ever looked at a canvas? It’s boring until different colors are splashed across it – by brush, by hand, or whatever other instrument an artist may use.  That is what God does with us.  We are like brushstrokes in a masterpiece giving it depth and vibrancy.   He gave us talents that other people need.  He never meant for us to do life alone.  We need each other.  Sometimes, we need others to show us who not to be.  

Romans 12:4-8 (ESV) states, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”   

So God gave us these gifts, but we choose how we use them.  Do we follow God’s directive and use His gifts for good or in opposition to Him for evil (2 Tim 3:2)?  Don’t get confused, because God can use anything and anyone for his purpose….no matter what.  The question is will be you see the benefit of using God’s gifts for His glory or you own pride?  Will you see the blessing of God or the curse?  We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph 2:10).  Are you walking in the good works?  Or are you sitting on the side lines waiting for something to happen?  Or worse, are your walking in direct disobedience to God’s word?  God made you different, what are you going to do with those differences?