For the "Happy" Kids

Have you ever listened to someone's testimony and thought that you could never compare to that?

Have you ever listened to stories from friends about struggles in their lives that are worse than anything you've gone through?

This is for the "happy" kids. 

The ones who grew up in a solid family.

The ones who didn't have anyone close to them die.

The ones who believed in God by the time they were 3. 

The ones who were just ordinary. 

I am one of those kids.

For years I went to church, and heard countless testimonies about near death experiences, drugs, alcohol, broken families, fatal diseases... and the list goes on. For years, I thought I didn't measure up, I thought that my story didn't matter because I was just ordinary. I thought that I didn't matter. And, I still think that.

But like I said earlier, this is for the "happy" kids. And why do I say that?

Because if you are like me, you are expected to be "happy." My parents are not divorced, I'm not living on food stamps, I'm not addicted to cocaine, have an eating disorder, sleep around...

So the world says:

I'm supposed to be "happy."

I can't be a leader because I haven't gone through anything.

I cannot connect with people who have gone through stuff because I wouldn't understand.

And I can't ever be an inspiration to someone, because my life is ordinary. 

If you are like me, then you may think that you don't matter. That your story doesn't matter. You may think, people could care less about your life. I just want to tell you that your story matters. You matter.

I was reading a book the other day and the author was talking about what it took back in Jesus's time for a young boy to become a Rabbi. The boy would have to memorize and recite all the scripture that was recorded at the time as well as historical facts and countless other things. The higher in his education he got, the more intense it became. Most boys didn't make it to the top and dropped out to learn their family trade. The ones who made it were considered the elite, the best of the best. In order for them to finish their education, they had to go to work under a current Rabbi. They would go to a Rabbi and ask to work with them. After what seemed like an interrogation, the Rabbi would either accept the boy to come and work under him, or say no. If he said no, the boy would go back and learn his family trade. Those Rabbi positions were highly sought after and only few were called. Those few, we could say, have been through the most "stuff." They had the most to their name and had endured what most people hadn't. 

Let's jump from that, and look over at Jesus. He comes into town and calls the fishermen, the tax collectors, the carpenters... these were guys who never made it to the top. They didn't have anything to their name. They were "ordinary." When Jesus came, he didn't call the men with the best testimony or the hardest life story. He called on the "ordinary," "happy" kids. 

So when you are tempted to think that:

 you aren't important

that you don't matter

that you don't have an important role to play...

... remember this.

God called you. 

And God called me. 

Your story matters.