Each year I do Christian service with my school in Gardena, California. During my junior year, one particular service project caught my eye: the Special Olympics.
While I was there I talked with a teen who had ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and slight autism. I don’t know why, but I had thought kids at Special Olympics would all look different. This teen I spoke to looked like a typical teen. When she asked me what Special Olympics team I played on, I let her know that I wasn’t participating in the Special Olympics. I was there as a cheerleader and scorekeeper. She laughed and apologized. I asked her what made her think that I played on a Special Olympics team, and she told me that my inability to sit still made her think that I was like her. So I told her that I, too, have ADHD. She wondered aloud that I was normal and didn’t have any noticeable physical disability.
I couldn’t help but wonder why God makes everyone so different. And while wondering about those differences I realized that God still loves each of us. Being at the Special Olympics felt a little odd because I’ve never really been in a situation like that, but it also made me appreciate what it means to relate to someone who is different and not so different from me.
—Kymieal
In Psalm 139 the psalmist reflects on the wonder that he is created by God. God knows us so well and nothing about us is secret from God. Pray with this psalm and thank God for creating you in love. Then think about others you know and thank God for creating them and loving them.
Think of someone you know who you think is different from you. How is that person similar to you? Reflect on that person’s gifts and how they could be used for God and his people.