Do I Thank God That I Am Not Like Others?

The fact of the matter is this: we are not like others. Each of us is unique, and some of us are more unique than others (you know who you are!). We are individuals, no matter how much we try to blend into the crowd. We were each made with a unique combination of DNA that is "you." There never has been and never will be another one like you. Even if you have a twin, you are still uniquely you.

But the question is not whether we are like others. The question isn't even if we give thanks to God for our uniqueness. The question is whether we look down on others and use God to justify that feeling of superiority. Do I smugly think I am better than others? Do I thank God that I am not like that other person?

I can honestly say I don't remember ever explicitly thanking God for such a thing, but I do know there are times I catch myself rolling my eyes at someone's behavior or being grateful in a general sense that I do not have "their" life. And, yes, there are times I catch myself feeling better than someone else. In a culture that is built on competition, we are shaped into people who want to prove our superiority. One of the things social media has done is change who has a voice and who doesn't. Everyone has a voice now! The problem with that is that everyone begins to believe that their voice is the only one that matters. Social media was meant to be a great equalizer, but instead it's made everyone believe themselves superior! That will remain the case until we learn once again to take time to talk to one another, honestly listen to one another, and get to know that person as a fellow child of God.

That person you think is lesser somehow than you are? Take them to coffee and get to know them. Ask questions about their life. Get to know them as a person. The cure for superiority thinking is familiarity. Because the reality is we are not like the other, but God loves us all the same.