Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
--C.S. Lewis--

Thursday, September 4, 2008

We Are Each Our Own Unique And Special Snowflake

If you believe that, raise your hand. Place it directly next to your head. Now slap yourself and repeat, "If everyone is special, no one is." Think of your best skill, talent, or characteristic. Guess what? There are a million other people better at it than you. Now please don't start protesting, "but my mom thinks I'm special". I'm not saying that you may not be special to certain people in your life. But, in the macro, world-wide sense, you simply aren't. If it makes you feel any better, you ARE unique. However, before you take too much pleasure in that, remember, unique is just a kinder substitute for "weird".

Before you get upset and think I'm being harsh, let me explain further. While we are not special to this world, we are all unique and special in the eyes of God. Unlike when we speak of being special in the eyes of the world, there is no irony or contradiction in saying we are special to God. God is infinite, and therefore is able to take infinite pleasure in each of his creations, which he also hand-crafted. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). "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." (Psalm 139:13-14) The world however, does not have infinite attention or value to distribute, and so most people will not receive any.

This is a problem because people need to know they are special. We have a hole inside, waiting to be filled with the love and esteem of God. As our society moves further away from Him, people have to try to fill that void somehow. One of my pet peeves is the overuse and dilution of the words "art" and "artist". Just this morning at breakfast, I heard a woman talking to some people about her job. She said, "I'm an interior designer. Well, actually, I'm an artist." No ma'am, you aren't. If anyone who shows the slightest smidgen of creativity in arranging furniture qualifies to be considered an artist, then the terms "art" and "artist" are meaningless. I might as well apply it to my dog when he flings spit in unique patterns on the wall (as an American bulldog, he's jowly, and drools quite a lot). But this woman is searching for the significance that she should be finding in the unique and personal relationship she could have with her creator if she only knew to look for it.

I may never be "somebody" by this world's standards. In fact, the odds are pretty good I won't. And if you're wasting your time reading what I write, the odds are REALLY good that you won't. God's eyes are the only ones guaranteed to always see you as special and to God's heart is the only one that will always have a place just for you. And ironically, his opinion is also the only one that really matters. Take advantage of it. I will.