The first summer my family and I moved to Texas, I saw an indoor play space having an open house. I decided to check it out. I thought it would be an excellent location for my family to enjoy while getting a break from the hot weather.
When I arrived at the indoor play space, joyful giggles, kids darting across the foam floor, and squeals of excitement welcomed me. The owner invited me to hop into an art class.
In class, the children finger-painted pictures of a cat. The class instructor gave each student the same color. The instructor also gave step-by-step instructions on how to use their fingers to create the different parts of the cat.
Then the teacher displayed her finished painting on the wall. I saw a little boy crumple up his cat painting and lament, “My painting does not look like yours!”
The teacher walked over, opened the crinkled paper, stood near the young boy, and said, “Well, honey, your drawing won’t look exactly like mine. I gave you the steps, but our fingers and fingerprints are different, so our pictures won’t look the same.”
The teacher then asked the young boy if she could show his picture to the class. The little boy nodded. As the teacher showed the painting to the class, one student said, “I like his painting. It looks like my old cat. I miss my cat so much.”
As the conversation continued, the instructor turned to the young boy and said, “If you didn’t create your unique picture, our friend wouldn’t have been reminded of those great memories of his old cat.”
Seeing this interaction was a great reminder that purpose and blessings are in our uniqueness. Yes, it is great to be inspired by, learn from, and even admire someone else’s work. However, even in our admiration of another person’s gift, God’s Word reminds us that we all have specific talents that are special and much needed in this world.
Remember that you possess distinct gifts to open and share with others for God’s specific purpose and glory.
Ann Anaebere-Aneke is a registered nurse and founding member of The Omenala Service Learning Collaborative (OSLC) Writers Group, which seeks to provide health ministry through inspirational texts, articles, and other written resources. She lives with her husband and children in Texas. To learn more about the OSLC Writers Group and their family service club, please visit, www.omenalaservice.weebly.com.