I'm special.  That's not a joke- it's true.  It's not a statement of pride. There's an upside and a downside to it, but I'm special, and that's a fact.  I'm proud of my "specialness," and I'm ashamed of it, too. Some of it, I'm congratulated on, and some of it, well, the other way.

Looking around, I see others different from me, and I've begun to understand they are special, as well.  Difference is not weirdness or inferiority. It's also not superiority. Difference is special. As creations of God, we are all made with "specialties."  God did this deliberately. It was intentional. God did not want us all the same. Since no one person can adequately picture the Creator, God made a bunch of us.  We're all a lot the same, but a little different. Because of this, we can unite in commonality and, at the same time, add to the mosaic of humanity by picturing God through our individual personalities.  

We should be glad for the differences.  They should be celebrated. They give life interest and vigor.  And things work better. This is what God had in mind in giving people differing gifts but placing them in the same body and building.  He meant for us to work together for a common cause rather than demean and envy one another. We are to love one another, join hands and open our hearts.  We're all special to our Father and have a place of service in His kingdom that no one else can fill.

For most of my life, I read from the King James Bible almost exclusively.  I'm a traditionalist at heart, and this was the Bible of my upbringing. It shocked me to learn that the most familiar verse in the Bible, John 3:16, is translated rather badly in that version.  Don't misjudge my statement, but understand that "only begotten Son" is not the best or most accurate description of Jesus.  What the verse conveys is that Jesus was God's "unique" Son.  There was and is no other like Him. He was special. No one else could have done what He did.

There's nobody else here like you.  The question for us concerns whether we will fulfill our promise as individual creations of God.  As members of His church, we’re parts of a body, building and flock and must work in concert for God's glory.  But you're special, so am I, and that's a fact.

Sterl