Dr Suess famously wrote in his 1959 children book “Happy Birthday to you!” –

“Today you are You
That is truer than true
There is no one alive
who is Youer than You.”

There has never been another you. There never will be.
This may be ‘truer than true,’ but how does that make you feel?
Honestly?

I have met a lot of people. I watch a lot of people. I talk to a lot of people.
There aren’t many who stand out as being utterly different to the crowd. Not really. Not as many as I would like anyway.

The thing is, we spend most of our lives trying to programme ourselves to ‘fit in’ not to stand out.
Even though we were created to be unique human individuals, a great deal of the way we are taught to act and interact is about mimicking the behaviour, thought patterns and actions of those around us.

You will have traits you have picked up from your parents – good and bad ones. It won’t be deliberate. It will just be what has happened.

You might be scared of spiders because your Mum was. You might have a negative self image, because your Dad never thought much of himself and spoke those lies out. You heard them, absorbed them, and now wear them as if they are your own ‘clothes.’

I am always amused when I see young people in groups. They think they are being rebellious. But they will congregate with those who have the same hair, the same style, the same sort of bag and the same ‘look.’ Why? Because actually they want to “fit in.”

We all have the inbuilt desire to belong to something or someone whether it is a boyfriend, football club, a choir or a church. But we must be careful that this desire is not out of trying to ‘fit in’ to a mould we were never meant to aspire to.

But are we called to do this? Are we called to look and behave like each other?

Big fat NO time!

We are called to imitate one person alone and He is called Jesus. The amazing thing about him is because He is God and therefore by nature multifaceted, multitalented and super incredible, the more we follow him, the more unique we will become.

Like Him, we are called to be light of the world.
Think for a minute with me here. What are the characteristics of light?
1. It stands out
2. It shines in darkness
3. It shows up what is there already
4. It allows for judgement
5. You don’t need much light to conquer darkness. (A small candle can light a whole room and be seen miles away.) Light and darkness are not equally strong. Light is way more powerful.

Light does not mimic darkness in any way. It is opposite from it.

Have you caught yourself trying very hard to “fit in” recently? To just do what you have always done and keep mimicking others in their walk and journey.

DON’T!
You have a unique path to follow and God will guide you on it.
Celebrate the YOU-ness of You today.