Do Not Be Ashamed of Who God Made You to Be

I hear people all the time saying they wish they could be something different from who they are.  I just watched a Glee episode in which the teens were facing what they didn’t like about themselves.  The one character wanted to have surgery to change her.  The rest of the Choir thought she should not change.  The teacher in the end showed them all that they had things that they wanted to change but they should like themselves the way they were.  They should not be ashamed or upset of their differences.  It was their differences that made them special.

This story really struck a chord with me.  I know so many people that want to change who they are.  They want to be different than they were created.  They want to have surgeries to change their appearance.  They are ashamed of the fact that they look different than other people.

We all have something that we wish we could change.  I wish that I wasn’t sick.  I wish that I could eat anything that I wanted.  I wish I didn’t have to walk with a cane or use a wheelchair to keep from falling.  I wish I could hear without having to turn my head or asking what did you say question.  I wish I could go a day without hurting.  Yet, I have to accept that these are things that I can’t change.

Our differences make us special.  I like so many GLBTIQA wanted to change who I was.  I didn’t want to be a Lesbian.  I went to this amazing counselor who told me something that changed my life.  She said she believed in reincarnation.  She said that she believed that people that were born in an oppressed state were learning something special for their next life.  She even went as far as saying that she admired me because I had to be an extra special person for going through this during this time period. 

I don’t actually believe in reincarnation but her words changed my mind.  I realized that I wasn’t being punished by being a Lesbian.  I learned that I should hold my head high and go through life not ashamed.  It didn’t matter what other people said about me.  It was important the way I thought about myself.

So many people also face the obstacle that I faced when I went to a Baptist college.  I was judged because of my gender identity.  I was a woman and I should be working for my MRS. Degree.  This degree is better known as getting married.  I was expected as a woman at the school to marry one of the men that were going to be a preacher or missionary. 

It was in my second semester when one of the professors comes to me and wanted to talk about his concern.  Being the person that I am I thought that I must have failed the most recent test?  I am a perfectionist when it came to school.  I can remember him telling me that I needed to watch my grades.  I was making grades higher than the men.  He even said how you expect to get married to one of these fine men if you acted like you were smatter than they were.  Now think on this a minute.  I wasn’t supposed to go to school to learn and get the best grades I could get. Instead I was supposed to go to school to attract a young man. 

It made me to do the complete opposite.  I worked on outshine all of the guys.  I worked harder.  I would smile inside every time I would get a better grade.  I knew that I would never get married to any of them.  Yet, what I wanted to prove is that women did not need to act stupid.  I even knew back then that my gender would keep me from doing what I felt called to do.  I knew I was called to be a preacher.  Yet, I knew that this wasn’t going to happen.  I accepted it and went into the next best thing Christian Education.

 I wasn’t ashamed of who I was.  Instead I became more confident because I was doing well.  I had pressure to not shine but I didn’t allow the fact that I was a woman determine who I could be.  I knew that one day that God would open the door for me.  It happened exactly 10 years after I was told to quit outshining the guys.  I didn’t become an ordained clergy.  Instead, I became a lay minister.

We need to accept that God has made us.  I love the saying God doesn’t make no junk.  This statement is so true.  God doesn’t make things that are imperfect.  We are made to be the people that we are.  It doesn’t matter our physical appearance.  It doesn’t matter our health status or limitations.  It doesn’t matter our race, sexuality orientation or gender identity.  The only thing that matters is that we accept that God loves us just the way we are.

Look at your life is there something that you want to change.  Do you want to change it because of the pressure in society to be like everyone else?  Let’s be honest with ourselves there is not a normal group in society.  We are a very diverse.  People should not be ashamed of who they are.  Instead we should be proud of our differences.  We need to embrace our differences and walk without heads held high. 

God made you and God doesn’t make mistakes.  You can be proud of who you are.  There are a few things that you can do to change the way you feel about yourself.  The first thing that you can do is look in the mirror and say I am proud of who I am.  You can thank God for creating you just the way you are.  Accepting that you and God are the only ones that are important when it comes to who you are will change how you feel about yourself. 

Second don’t listen to what people say.  People can be mean.  People have a way of bringing out what they see as your differences so they don’t have to think of theirs.  Don’t fights back instead show them through your actions how proud you are of yourself?  You can change the world and your own perception of yourself by living with pride.

Lastly you can help stop bullying.  Too many people have committed suicide because of what others have said.  Society has pushed people to dislike who they are.  We have to set up laws to protect our children from bullying.  We need to stand up for those that are bullied.  In the last month we have seen where young people who are different have taken their own lives in their hands.  They have taken all that they can and ended their pain by committing suicide. 

Imagine the difference we could make by helping others be proud of whom God made them to be.  If you know someone that is thinking about it help them get help.  Talk to the about calling the suicide helpline.  Talk to them about going to a counselor.  You need to remember you can help them overcome their shame of being different by telling them how much you can for them.  Let them know that their difference isn’t a bad thing.  You can even share your differences and that can help them more than you think.

We need to remember that we do not have to believe what other people say.  Our life is worth living.  If you feel depressed and are thinking about ending your life call the suicide hotline in your area.  You are just who God created don’t let others steal your joy.  Live with your head high and know that people who are bullies have something that they don’t like about themselves and they are reflecting their feelings about themselves on you. 

Do not fall in the path of bullies and judge others for who they are.  You know that there are things that you would like to change about yourself.  Therefore, do not contribute to the world of bullies.  Instead, focus on showing people love.  Show people that they can be proud of themselves.  You can have an influence of others.  Doesn’t it feel better to help people love themselves?  Remember when you are judgmental of others you are bringing them down.  You are becoming the bully that you do not want to be.

Remember that God created each and every one of us in God’s perfect image.  Therefore, God didn’t make you and cheat you because of your difference.  Instead, blessed you with the gift of life and created you to be the person you are.  Don’t let other people steal your joy.  Don’t fall into the path of thinking that you need to change so that you can be like others.  Realize that everyone has something that they want to change about their life.  Accept that you can make a difference by standing up against bullying.  God didn’t make junk.  You are exactly who God made you to be.  Be proud about that.