I was traveling with a group of women this past weekend; it’s always interesting how God so uniquely created us. Some are talkers, some listeners, some morning people, some night owls, some pear shaped, some apples, some with lots of energy and some with a need for more rest. Personalities are different as well. There are those women who are happy to be a follower, those who have a need to be in charge, those who are quiet, those who are talkative, those who are moody- those who are not, those who have never met a stranger, and those who would not under any circumstance speak with a stranger. How incredibly unique we are.
In an effort to better understand her children, our oldest daughter was reading a book by Kevin Leman on birth order. It was an interesting read as to the placement of a person within a family and the effect that has on each ones’ personality. Leman states this about the first born, “Clearly, firstborns are natural leaders. They also tend to be reliable, conscientious and perfectionists who don’t like surprises. Although, firstborns are typically aggressive, many are also compliant people pleasers. They are model children who have a strong need for approval from anyone in charge. My husband Mark fits the mold of the first born.
I am the middle of four and Leman says of the middle child, “These kids are the most difficult to pin down. They are guaranteed to be opposite of their older sibling, but that difference can manifest in a variety of ways. Middle children often feel like their older brother gets all the glory while their younger sister escapes all discipline. Middle children may not feel they have a special place in the family so friends and peer groups become much more important. They can usually read people well, they are peacemakers who see all sides of a situation, they are independent and inventive. If a firstborn is a company’s CEO, the middle child is the entrepreneur.” I can tell you that my older sister and I are opposites. I love to take the back roads and enjoy the scenery, she loves the interstate and getting to her destination as quickly as possible.
Our granddaughter, Ainsley Kate is the youngest of four. He says of the youngest, “Babies of the family are social and outgoing, they are the most financially irresponsible of all birth orders. They just want to have a good time and love to be in the limelight. While lastborns may be charming, they also have the potential to be manipulative, spoiled or babied to the point of helplessness.” Ainsley Kate is definitely social, outgoing, has no fear, and loves to entertain the family.
When we look into God’s word, at siblings in particular, we see how uniquely different they were. Take for instance Cain and Abel, Mary and Martha, Moses and Miriam, or Absalom and Amnon. God created them different, each having their own personality, abilities, and gifting. My siblings and I are uniquely different; God created us that way. One is not better than the other, or more talented than the other, just different.
Over the years I have noticed that women often struggle with their own self-image and who God uniquely created them to be. When I was a young woman, I certainly struggled with being content with whom He made me to be. As I’ve gotten older, I have become content with who I am and my place in life. I will tell you that I still don’t like the spider veins that seem to have woven a web up and down my legs or the thickness of flesh that has accumulated on my hip and thigh areas. But these physical defects are not who I am. In Psalm 139 it says that God, my heavenly Father, knit me together in my mother’s womb and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. So, this being true, why do Christian women struggle with being content in whom God made them to be?
Perhaps the answer to this question lies in John 8:44 which says, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” He lies; he distracts us with diet plans, eating disorders, intense exercise programs, and a general discontentment and dissatisfaction of who we are. We have an enemy who works very hard to get us to believe a lie and causes us to focus on ourselves. When all our energy, effort, time, and attention are on self, we are absolutely of no good to our heavenly Father. Oh the time and energy I have wasted focusing on self!
God made us different physically and He made us uniquely different in personality – specifically for His pleasure and His purposes. What is it that God wants to do in and through your life if only you were not so focused on self? What if you learned to be content with who God made you to be? How would this one thing change your life and the lives of those around you?
I spent years believing the enemy’s lie that I was fat. This one lie robbed me of joy, peace, contentment, and focused time in the word and with my heavenly Father. I believed the lie and was drawn away from this truth- “You Dianne, my beloved child are mine, uniquely designed by Me for My divine purposes. You are special and you are beautiful!”
Father, thank you that You made me special, unique, and beautiful in Your sight. Guard my mind against the enemy and his lies. Keep me focused on You. Help me to live a balanced life, not letting exercise routines, diet plans, or other things take me away from You. I desire to be content with the woman You created me to be. I desire that my life and all that I am be an offering to You.
dianne