"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"

Psalm 139: 14a

Cookie cutters are very handy.  You can choose one and know that you will have 15 dozen cookies that are the exact same size and shape. This is reassuring when you are say, making Christmas cookies and want your presentation to look especially impressive.  Or, perhaps you are doing a large tray for a party - you can just slap some different colors and have picture perfect cookies which look like they belong in a Southern Living holiday edition.  (By the way, mine never do look like that!)

God doesn't make cookie cutter Christians!  He doesn't have a favorite mold that He merely uses over and over again.  It's not as though he picks out a star shape, rolls out a length of human tissue and makes cut outs that all look exactly alike.  We know this!  It's as obvious as the nose on our face - literally!  Look around, you will not find two people who have identical noses.  Even identical twins are not exactly the same.  Human beings come in all shapes, sizes, skin colors, various eye colors, body shapes, eights, and heights.  There are so many different nationalities, each with features which stand out, and yet, even in those ethnicities are innumberable differences in individuals' appearance.

So, why do we believe that all Christians should be alike?  Perhaps we don't often say it out loud, but it does pervade our thinking many times.

Just as human beings are varied in physical traits and appearance, so also we differ in giftings, passions, talents, abilities, intellect, information processing, creativity, thought patterns and ways of interacting with others.

We need to appreciate our differences - our unique qualities - not be threatened by them or intimidated by them.  I realize this is easier said than done!  I am not saying here that we need to tolerate sin or abusive behavior.  And certainly, each individual must be constantly examining him or herself and being ever molded into the likeness of Christ Jesus.

I am simply saying that let's try to appreciate one another's giftings and personalities - and appreciate and embrace our own talents and abilities as well.  Too often we compare ourselves to other Christians and say things like, "Well, if I only could sing like ___, then I would be more useful to God."  or, "God could really use me if I could only preach the Word like ___ or write so passionately like ____."

In the Kingdom of God, "the Body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts."  (1 Cor. 12:12 )  God has designed each of us with unique traits, gifts, passions and abilities to be used for the common good and the glory of God!  Read 1 Corinthians chapter 12.  Instead of feeling intimidated or envious of one another's gifts, we should praise God for His creativity.  We can be excited to see how the various individuals can use their God-given talents together to advance the Kingdom!

God made you exactly as He wanted to!  You are special!  Yes, those words on preschool walls are true, "God made me, and He doesn't make mistakes!"

Spend some time reading Psalm 139 .  Put YOUR name in and make this psalm personal.

Now, pray through that psalm, thanking God for the wonder of His creation - YOU.