Being Ourselves

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.    I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.    My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.    Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16 NIV)

A story from the Talmud:

Once, the great Hassidic leader, Zusia, came to his followers. His eyes were red with tears, and his face was pale with fear."Zusia, what's the matter? You look frightened!""The other day, I had a vision. In it, I learned the question that the angels will one day ask me about my life."The followers were puzzled. "Zusia, you are pious. You are scholarly and humble. You have helped so many of us. What question about your life could be so terrifying that you would be frightened to answer it?"Zusia turned his gaze to heaven. "I have learned that the angels will not ask me, 'Why weren't you a Moses, leading your people out of slavery?'"His followers persisted. "So, what will they ask you?""And I have learned," Zusia sighed, "that the angels will not ask me, 'Why weren't you a Joshua, leading your people into the promised land?'"One of his followers approached Zusia and placed his hands on Zusia's shoulders. Looking him in the eyes, the follower demanded, "But what will they ask you?""They will say to me, 'Zusia, there was only one thing that no power of heaven or earth could have prevented you from becoming.' They will say, 'Zusia, why weren't you Zusia?'"

The best resolution we can make for this new year is to be the person God created us to be.  We waste so much of our lives trying to be the person our parents or spouse or children want us to be; or we try to be a copy of someone we admire.  When we try to be what others expect, we only find frustration and unhappiness. Whe we try to be like someone we admire, we usually fall short, but even more sadly we deprive the world of the gifts that our uniqueness brings.

We are so different.  Our genetic code makes us completely different from anyone else ever born, but it is even more complicated than that!  Our life experiences since birth make us different and even the way we have processed those experiences make us different.

Let's embrace ourselves fully for who we have been created and grown to be.  Let's allow our inner passions flourish into the gifts and talents God intended for us to use - not only for the good of his kingdom but also that each of us might experience abundant life.  May we each experience truly abundant life this year.

Father,
Open our hearts and minds to find the person you created each of us to be. Help us to uncover our true inner passions and be fruitful through the gifts and talents that make each of us unique.  Amen.

Joys: a good time with friends; a new year with new hopes and expectations and exciting things to look forward to; holding both my granddaughters on my lap