Am I Accepted for Who I Am?
Living in an effort to be accepted by others is futile. Society has determined what the perfect body is, the perfect face, the perfect hair style, etc. They have gone so far as to even Photoshopped the models that are on the front covers of many magazines, causing so many of us, both male and female, to desire to be like what we see there, not realizing the images have been altered. In essence, we’re trying to make ourselves into the image of someone else’s imagination.
The first person who needs to accept me is me! A lot of time can be spent trying to be like someone else. We are accepted or rejected by others based upon how well we fit into the social norms of society. When I was in junior and senior high school, I hated gym class. That’s where I experienced a strong feeling of rejection. When teams were being picked in class, I was always the last one chosen. I wanted to run away and hide, but I couldn’t! I was a scrawny, wiry young man who was as unathletic as they came. I was more comfortable sitting in a corner reading a book.
As I matured, I came to understand that I was exactly the way God made me. Everything about me, my looks, my personality, my general make-up, whatever intelligence I have, all came from the One who said what He made was very good (Genesis 1:31)! I came to understand that I was just as unique among the people on earth as snowflakes are unique from each other. If I had an identical twin brother, even he would not be just like me.
When I came to grips with who I am, I realized it doesn’t matter what others think. Others may accept me one day and reject me the next in this “cancel culture” in which we live. But none of that matters because I have been accepted by God in the beloved, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4-6).
How true are the Scriptures that tell us that if we judge ourselves by ourselves, we are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12). Take a look in the mirror and see the handiwork of God! Worship God, not what you see. Thank God for the person He made you to be. His ultimate goal is to create a masterpiece by conforming you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29)!
