Weirdos

Gratitude Year 4 - Day 118: Today, I am grateful for the weirdos.

One of the things I find most intriguing is that every human is unique. Even twins... identical twins... have unique attributes and behaviors that allow those who know them best to discern the difference.  

Every human is unique in some way, from all of the others. A creative masterpiece from the hand of God. Science can try to explain it, but there is still mystery. 

My friend Kelly always said "It's good to be weird." She said this in high school when everyone else was trying to fit into a certain mold.  I found her to be quite smart (talented and beautiful, too).  I still do!  Another friend, Todd, wrote something brilliant on my language arts folder-"In an insane society, the sane people appear to be insane." Todd wrote on my folder a lot.  These creative friends were (and are) treasures time and space cannot erase. They taught me the wonderful in the weird. I carry them in my heart. 

Some "weirdness" is a result of cultures intersecting, colliding and abiding in the same place. 

Intercultural Communications was a favorite class in college, as it focused on truly respecting every human's roots.... the soil they were planted in...and where they grew.  David Kale was teaching it and preaching it before it was "a thing" to teach cultural sensitivity. He had a bigger purpose in his passion to grow us into culturally sensitive young people. His was a God assigned mission to teach us to love our neighbors. 

To "love our neighbor", we must make a sincere effort to understand them. To communicate effectively, we have to have a sense of not only their language, but people see through their language.  We can find different cultures without leaving the county, the state or the country we call home. 

There are people in Chicago who think central Illinois is "southern Illinois". Bless their hearts. There is still half a state below us with even more diversity.  Country isn't all hick and city isn't all cold and unkind. We all have cultural goggles that limit our vision. Some can't see past Chi-town's tall towers and lake shore. There are country folk that mistrust anyone from "a big city". Our differences can be vast within an hour's drive...or less.  On the other side of town, may be a house with out running water or electricity if there is no way to pay for it.  

Different gets labeled "weird". What's wrong with different? Not like the others can be a good thing... a great thing... a God thing. 

Weird is defined as "uncanny or supernatural". Well, I serve a supernatural God who is not of this world, and as His children- we are aliens. New creatures in Him. Alien people!  What a hoot! Right?  What a promise. Explains much, doesn't it? 

Citizens of heaven are aliens in this world! Resident aliens until He calls us home. 

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone -Ephesians 2:18-20

Weird?  Yes!  We are called to be weird. To stand out. To not fit in. To swim against the current when the current is contrary to His rules for living. 

Kelly was right. "It is good to be weird." Be a weirdo and unlock all He has for those who put their trust in Him. 

Today, I am grateful for the weirdos.They are my people.