“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” (Dr Seuss)
I am a mom of three, and I once worked with children in daycare. One of my favorite activities to do with them was play with Play-Doh. I loved the vibrant colors and how it could be so easily molded. The only thing I didn’t like was that I could never quite make it look like it did on the box. But I was measuring my ability by someone else's.
But the kids, somehow their creations always came out just right for them. They were the creators, embracing all the quirky results. And, quite frankly, a preschooler never really worries about what their friend next to them thinks. They love what they have made, and that’s enough. As creators, they bent every part of their Play-Doh construction with purpose.
Where do you find your identity? Is it found in the mirror or in the size of your clothes? Or is it in the number of likes on a social media post? Is it found in your bank account? Or is it in the insults spoken by an impactful family member?
We are concerned with how others see us. We allow our reputation, popularity, and looks to tell us what we are worth. But that is not the lens that God sees us through. Like that ball of Play-Doh in the hands of the preschooler, we were formed by God with purpose and delight.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13
When my son was younger, I loved to watch him play with Play-Doh. I couldn’t figure out what he was doing. The table just looked like it was filled with rolling hills made of plops of Play-Doh with the colors all mixed together - a jumbled mess. When he was finished creating, my son got up from the table, went to his room, and came back with his Matchbox cars. Now it made sense. He had created rolling hills for his cars to drive around on. Genius!
Like my son’s Play-Doh creation, we are created on purpose with a purpose. We may appear to be a jumbled mess to others, or even ourselves, at times. But God. He knows what He is doing.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
If you are sitting there today, thinking you are not worth anything, ask God to reveal to you how much He loves you. Ask Him to show you what you mean to Him. You can also find His words for you in the Bible:
- You are a child of God. (John 1:12)
- You are accepted. (Romans 15:7)
- You are chosen. (1 Peter 2:9)
And there are so many more.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Find your identity in God. He gave his only son to die for you, that is how much you are worth. If your identity was meant to be anything less, why would He have done something so grand for you? He loves you more than you could ever imagine because He himself has created you to be exactly who you are.
I challenge you to stand in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes. As you do this, I pray that you will see yourself as God does. He loves you. If you have accepted His son as your savior and committed your life to Him, He freely extends grace and mercy to you. Now go search the Bible to learn more about who He is and who you are in Him. Stand up and walk with certainty that your identity is in Christ alone. You mean something because He is everything.
Kellie Maguire
Kellie has been married for 20 years to her husband, Kevin. Together they have three children and she has a step-son (who lives with his mom). They have moved around the country many times and are finally growing their roots in their small town. Kellie’s faith in God is extremely important to her. She has been through many mountains and valleys and the Lord has gotten her through. She loves to ride her bike, write, watch movies, and is very involved in her children's lives. Being a Mom is her favorite role in life. She values her faith, family, love, and friendships.
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