We are definitely living in a crazy time with some people not satisfied with how they were born biologically and decide to change sex, thinking they were really meant to be something other than how God made them. And then we have the issues that result from that with bathrooms in schools and public places such as shopping centers. Some have even decided they were meant to be another skin color and have again tried to become something other than how God made them. And, of course, some decide that their sexual orientation shouldn’t be determined by what sex they were made.
I think we are experiencing what the Apostle Paul prophesied in his second letter to Timothy, when he wrote: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents…” (II Tim. 3:1-7).
As I contemplate this world turned upside down today where many are dissatisfied with how they were born and attempt to change that, I think of an old chorus we sang in summer Bible camp and vacation Bible school. It may seem like just a fun camp song, but it has a very important basic theological teaching of accepting how God made us, that He made no mistakes. The song is entitled The Butterfly Song and the verses go like this:
“If I were a butterfly, I’d thank You, Lord for giving me wings, and if I were a robin in a tree, I’d thank You, Lord, that I could sing. And if I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail, and I’d giggle with glee.
If I were an elephant, I’d thank You, Lord, by raising my trunk, and if I were a kangaroo, I’d just hop right up to You. And If I were an octopus, I’d thank You, Lord for my good looks.
If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank You, Lord, that I could squirm, and if I were a crocodile, I’d thank You, Lord, for my big smile. And If I were a fuzzy wuzzy bear, I’d thank You, Lord, for my fuzzy wuzzy hair.”
And then, the chorus says:
“But I just thank You, Father, for making me me. ‘Cause You gave me a heart, and you gave me a smile, You gave me Jesus, and You made me Your child, and I just thank You, Father, for making me me!”
I guess at some point in our lives, we have all felt there were things about ourselves that we wish we could change. Growing up, I loved to play basketball and always wished I were tall. That didn’t happen! But as a believer, I came to realize that God made me just the way he wanted me to be and that, as someone aptly said, “God don’t make no junk!” The butterfly and the fish and elephant and the kangaroo and octopus, worm, crocodile and bear all utilize to advantage the features with which God created them. As human beings, made in the image of God, with the ability to choose and to think and reason and act to better our life, we seem to be the ones of all His creation that becomes dissatisfied with how we are made and think we need to change, whether it is our skin color, sex, or physical features. As I think about that, I realize how “in Your face” it is to the One who made us. It is really saying to God, “I’m afraid you blew it when You made me, and I’m going to do what I can to correct things.”
God has a special purpose for each one of us and makes us unique to fulfill that role. But, if we get the idea that God made a mistake with how He made us, then we can’t trust Him with anything else in our life either, and we are in for a very tough time. When we try to do things our own way and leave God out we will never find ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment. Now wonder we have such a high percentage of people today depressed and taking all kinds of prescription drugs (and non-prescription ones as well!) to deal with their struggles.
Although the Psalmist, David, didn’t have all the knowledge of medical science that we have today, he still understood what a marvel of God’s creative design he was. He wrote: “For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I Praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully mad; your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psa. 139:14-16 NIV).
If you are going to experience all that God has for you in your life here on His earth, you must accept that He made no mistake when He made you. (“As for God, His way is perfect…” Psa. 18:30a). Then, and only then, can you really put your complete trust in Him for the every-day events in your life. We may think that we have handicaps because of how we were made, but God doesn’t look upon them that way. They are really God’s “marks of ownership” in our lives. Remember Moses’ excuse when God confronted him in the burning bush and said He was sending him to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage? Moses said, “Who am I that I should go…Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since Thou has spoken to Thy servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Ex. 3:11; 4:10). How did God respond to that? “And the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him dumb or deaf, or seeing or blinid? Is it not I the LORD? Now then go, and I even I will by with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say’” (Ex. 4:11,12). What we consider to be challenges of our birth and our physical make-up are no problem with God.
So, we need to stop and thank God for how He made us, especially for the feature we look upon as a handicap. The Butterfly Song gives us great advice, We need to say, I may not be a butterfly or a robin or a fish in the sea, etc., “but I just thank You, Father, for making me me!” Then tell Him you are available for Him to use you just as you are. You will be amazed what He can do in and through you!
Forever His,
Pastor Dave
Wisdom of The Week 