Isn't it wonderful how different we all are! It would be such a boring world if we were all the same. If we all looked the same, talked the same, liked the same things, etc. But God in His wonderful wisdom created each of us differently. Those differences were not made for us to compare ourselves to others or to judge them.
Many times our differences keep us from connecting with others. If we surround ourselves with people who are very similar to us, we stifle our growth and become self-centered. We benefit from having many different types of relationships. We need to be around people who are more experienced than us. We need to be around those who have less experience than us, those who have special needs, those who are not saved, some who are younger, or older.
When we are with those who are more experienced, they pour into our lives. If they have less experience, then God helps us to pour into their lives. When they are not saved, then we are able to witness to them and share of our own experiences. We become more compassionate when we have relationships with those with special needs.
But most of the time we are more comfortable with our peers who we have more in common with. We surround ourselves with them and get to the place where we can't relate to others, we aren't comfortable with those who are different than us. But we have to get out of our comfort zone and allow God to help us build relationships with those who are different than us. There are things God has helped us through, things in us that God wants to bring out of us, and things that we still have to learn, but the only way we can do this is to have friends who are different than us.
My challenge to you today is to evaluate your friendships. Are most of them your age? Do you have most things in common? Has God placed someone different in your daily life? Do something today to get to know that person better.
