My grandfather was an artist and I remember watching him perfect his skills over the years. As a senior he even began attending art classes at the county college. He was always drawing and sketching but in time he began to paint beautiful pictures including murals for a church in our hometown.

He often gave paintings away to his family and friends but his garage/art studio was still full with the evidence of his work. My grandfather passed away several years ago and it is a long story, but the paintings he had in his possession were stolen and never recovered.

It hurt to know that those things were gone along with him. I thought that if those paintings were still with us we would feel him near. But something better happened. Prior to all of this, as my sister and I were growing up, our grandfather gave us art lessons. I remember drawing with him in the living room or painting with him at the picnic table in the backyard. He explained how to do things so that we would achieve certain effects and how to draw things in proper proportion.

Little did I know that at that picnic table he was recreating a part of himself. Because he passed on what God had blessed him with, his art is not lost and it did not disappear with him – my sister never forgot those lessons. She is painting, drawing and designing graphics to her heart’s content while brightening the lives of others with her talents just as he did.

It is never too late to begin using your gifts or acquiring new skills to make them better.

Today, be encouraged not to hide those talents that you have been blessed with. Light up this world for God’s glory and use your gifts to empower the next generation!

Matthew 5:14-16 (New King James Version)

¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

You’re weird!! Yeah, I said it. Did it bring a smile to your face?

I hope so, especially because the Bible (King James Version) states, “you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.” Throughout my life I have often felt like an oddball but when I pondered this scripture it caused me to feel that being weird was actually more than ok.

Merriam-Webster offers this definition of peculiar: “characteristic of only one person, group or thing; distinctive; different from the usual or normal; special; particular, odd, curious, eccentric, queer.”

It seems clear to me that if you were not Weird, this world would be a boring place! You were not created to simply fit in and be part of the crowd. You were made to stand out. There are things God placed in you that He did not want to be lost in the mix. If you became like everyone else, what would happen to those gifts?

Each one of us was created as unique members of one Body. It is sad when people lose sight of this and begin to conform out of a desire to fit in. It is also unfortunate when we fail to embrace each other’s individuality and instead look down on others because they don’t fit the shallow criteria of the current clique.

Everyone misses out when someone is unable to be different and walk in their unique purpose and destiny. When you sing a song to the Lord in that beautiful voice and I hear it, it enhances my life. When you create something that inspires action, thought or feeling, it changes the lives of others.

My encouragement to you today is to embrace who you are, the person that God created you to be. If people around you cannot accept the real you, find new people to be around. If there are no such people, then be content with extra one-on-one time with the Lord until He sends some true friends your way, and He will.

I personally do not want to miss out on what you have to offer the world! Let His Glory shine through you.

I Peter 2:9 (Amplified Bible)

But you are a chosen [generation], a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.