You do realize that you are special, unique? Yes, you are like others but still there’s that spark that sets you apart – sets all of us apart from each other. You never were created to be exactly like the next person. Look at families. Each person in a family, though part of the family, is different. Two children in the same family will experience things differently. This is not by chance – this is by design! It’s because we were created uniquely.
So why would you expect to be led in the exact same way as your brothers and sisters in Christ? And don’t compare – you should never compare how the Lord leads you by how He leads someone else. Your gifts were given you to benefit all just like your brother/sister in the Lord has their own gifting. The ‘sameness’ is the purpose for the gifting – for the benefit of all.
Yes, we are all part of the family of God but don’t forget 1 Corinthians 12 (12-27). We need to appreciate our uniqueness and the other person’s uniqueness and not try to be exactly the same, nor covet someone else’s gifting. Verses 4, 18, and 27 need to be ingrained in our thinking. Paul teaches us that if we were all the same then where would the body be? “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
I know I can get into trouble here because it is so easy to misunderstand. We all carry some significant sameness: we all believe in Jesus. But how we got to that point varies, is unique to the person. We all have the same responsibility to witness to others about Jesus. But while the object is the same, the methodology varies with the person.
Perhaps ultimately it can be said that we are all the same…uniquely. God doesn’t want to do away with your uniqueness, He wants it celebrated. But this begins with you – you must be able to celebrate your uniqueness as you celebrate your membership.
