You Might Not Be Particularly Remarkable (And That's a Good Thing)

 In a forest full of trees, you are unremarkable. Maybe you are the puny one, the one with the crooked trunk or the one with sparse branches. You feel dwarfed and intimidated by all the other trees surrounding you, who seem to be so much better at being trees than you are. What’s the point in trying to grow if you can never be anything like them?

These are the thoughts that keep many people from fulfilling their calling, especially creatives. We all have a tendency to compare ourselves to the great oaks and redwoods in our fields, which can discourage some from even beginning their growth, much less reaching their full potential. Fear that what they create will not be good enough keeps many from creating far more effectively than any other external interference.

For such a uniquely created and diverse species, this is saddening. Even if we do not consider ourselves special, the intricacy with which we were formed and the way in which our bodies operates testifies to something remarkable. A popular verse many Christians find comfort in is Psalm 139:13, which likens the process of human development to the Creator carefully “knit[ing]” a person together in the womb, suggesting an artistic touch that is inherently evident in the final product. You may not feel remarkable compared to others, but you do possess within you an incredible capacity for creativity and expression that is of value in itself, but also has the power to inspire. You were created to take up space, and to take it up in a way that is unique to you.

If you feel compelled to paint, paint. If you feel compelled to dance, dance. If you feel compelled to write, write. Do not let the notion that it has been done before or that someone else can do it better keep you from finding satisfaction in your work and fulfilling your calling. If there is something you feel compelled to say, it is your responsibility to put your brush to canvas, your feet on stage, or your pen to paper and offer it up into the world. Maybe it will be well received, maybe it won’t. That’s not the point. The point is to work hard in expressing yourself creatively and to find the joy in doing something that you were made to do. If you manage to inspire, encourage, or even challenge others along the way, fantastic! Art and literature have a unique ability to touch people in ways that other ways of communication cannot. But do not undervalue the single most important person it tends to impact the most: its creator.

Ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things every day, and it all begins with saying “yes” to that little voice that nudges you in a particular direction. That is your calling. That is your command to grow.