Pastor and author James Merritt once joked about his wife’s infatuation with the actor Patrick Swayze. He said that she owns all his movies, and whenever he is on TV, she stops what she is doing and watches. Merritt said he knows when Swayze is on TV because his wife gets that glazed over look in her eyes and she doesn’t hear anything he is saying to her. He asked her one day, “If you were to take away Patrick Swayze’s face and hair and body, what would you be left with?”
“You,” she teased.
Merritt took that as a compliment, knowing he is one of a kind. The truth is, we are each unique individuals, and while there may be things about us that we would prefer to change if we were able, we are exactly who we are supposed to be. The best part is, God loves that about us because He chose to make us that way. He is the creator of all life, and the Bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). In another psalm we read that the God of the universe cares for us.
Psalm 8:4 says, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” It is mind boggling to realize that someone as big as God cares about people, and out of the billions of people currently on this planet, God knows and cares for each and every one. It is especially humbling to realize God’s care for people when we compare ourselves to things that we might think as the pinnacle of God’s creation. In verse three of the same psalm David contemplates the “heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained.”
Surely the moon and stars would be God’s great masterpiece. If not them, maybe the heavens themselves are His piece de resistance. But no, people are actually the highlight of God’s creation. We are His magnum opus. God didn’t become a star and save stars. He didn’t become a moon and save the moon. He became a man to save mankind.
When we consider all that He has made, it makes us wonder along with the psalmist, “What is man, that you are mindful of him?” God not only creates people, He cares about people. You are a unique individual, and God cares for you. You may not be Patrick Swayze, but that is OK. You are you, and you are the best you there is.
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