I spent this weekend in Ada, Oklahoma at Cornerstone Kids Ranch with my leadership group from school on a retreat. Although we were deprived of technology and exposed to sweat and nasty bugs for a very long two days, we did have a LOT of fun, and all of it was worth it. We spent a lot of time outdoors doing teamwork/bonding activities, such as a ropes course and community service. There was a wall - and I mean a legitimate wall - that we had to physically climb over without anything to help us but each other. At one point we all took a turn on a zip line, and we spent plenty of time studying the Bible and finding connections with God through one another. There was also plenty of good food and room for fellowship.
Overall, I had a blast and already feel very close to the entire group. But there was one thing that definitely captured my attention during our time at the camp. When you spend an entire weekend with a group of teenagers, sharing everything from living space to food to clothes with them, you get to know them fairly well. And I couldn't help but noticed that while we had many similarities, such as our faith, sense of humor, or preference in boy bands...we are all extremely different.
It's really the little things that jump out at me - the way one person prefers to eat, or another person's sleeping habits. Maybe it's the fact that someone despises chocolate while many others can't get enough of it. Or maybe one person is incredibly shy and another is loud and outgoing. Even if one of us looks similar to another - even though we are all humans, from the same earth and of the same species - we are all incredibly different, designed for a specific purpose that is one of a kind and irreplaceable.
In Psalm 139:13, it says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." It blows my mind that while there are millions and millions of people living on this planet, God was able to create each and every one of us completely unique and one hundred percent special. We are incomprehensibly valuable to the very Maker of the universe, the King of Kings. The Greatest Man to walk the earth, the Son of God...He knows our names, He planned every second of our lives. He made us for a specific purpose. He made us more than just a person - He made us who we are, and there will always be something about you that is nothing like the rest. Whether it's the bad or the good things about you, God loves you because of it. There is nothing you can do that will stop His love for you. It is never-ending, unchanging. All of it just puts me in awe, how we're not just here to live - we're here to thrive in the love of the Savior, and we're all such a critical piece of history, of existence. How I have blue eyes but my brother's are hazel, how I like to write and my sister loves animals. How my mom loves to exercise and I love potato chips. The fact is, there are millions of wonderful differences between us humans, and it's so amazing. It excites me because it's so complex, and I'm not sure it will ever make sense, no matter how long I sit here and wonder about it. I'm not even sure how many people will sit and read this blog post and even understand what I'm trying to say. You are a one of a kind, irreplaceable Child of God. There isn't anyone else on the planet like you. Do not look at yourself as any less.
You'll see thousands of people in your lifetime. You'll walk past them, maybe even speak to them for a moment or two. You may know their names and their faces. But next time you're in a crowded place and all you see is people...the next time you see that girl or boy at school that you may not know very well...just remember that these people are people. They have quirks and traits just like you. They have lives. Every last one of them has a purpose on this planet, no matter how quiet or loud, no matter how tough or sensitive, no matter how happy or sad they are. Think about how much they might have done or have left to do here. Think about how you have a part in that, because you are as equally loved and valuable as they are. Keep in mind that God loves them too. He loves us far more than any of us could ever imagine, far more than we deserve. Pray for them - your close friends and family, or even the strangers you pass by in your own neighborhood. We're all writing a story - we're all making history together, and like a puzzle with a missing piece, it won't work unless we're all here.