DARE TO BE YOURSELF
Ose Ud. Ser Su Mismo
by
Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Sunday, February 28, 2021
Trying to be like others merely makes you an imitation of them. [Photographer: Mary Hunt Webb.*]
When I saw the plaque that said, "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken," I had to buy it to share with you. Its message took me back in time to my youth.
One of the hallmarks of adolescence is the desire to be like everyone else, to wear what others are wearing, to have hairdos like others have, to acquire tattoos, and to generally fit in with one's peers. However, trying to fit in only makes everyone appear as though they had been stamped out with cookie cutters.
Some people outgrow this need to follow the crowd as they realize that the current trends are always changing. Others never gain that understanding. Instead, they go through life worried about what others may think of them.
My older sister put it succinctly when she said, "Never worry about what others may think. They're not thinking about you because they're too busy thinking about themselves!"
Sometimes we can't be like everyone else no matter how hard we try. [Photographer: Khamkhor. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
Like the tangerine surrounded by oranges, sometimes it's not possible to be like everyone else no matter how hard we try. The first step is to accept ourselves for who we are. That's not always an easy thing to do.
Let me give you one example from my own life. I am a tea-drinker in a coffee-drinking society. When I was growing up, I didn't like the smell of coffee but my mother assured me that I would eventually learn to drink it. I tried to drink coffee, but I never did like it. Accepting the fact that I never would like it and that I would always prefer tea was just one step on the road to realizing that I am unique. Being known as one that drinks tea means that I am being myself rather than an imitation of others.
Once I accepted that I am not like others, I noticed that there were lots of individuals that were different from others.
It's because this fellow has eyes of different colors that he is unique and one of a kind. It makes him special. [Photographer: Arek Socha. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
I gradually realized that I had a calling to work with others that were unique and faced challenges. That has become part of my life's mission – to encourage people to be the best individuals they could be. In the same way that I appreciate encouragement, I seek to offer it to others. That's the essence of Matthew 7:12, in which Jesus recommended, "12) So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (NIV) This advice is traditionally known as "The Golden Rule". I must have seen those words on a ruler because, for a long time, I associated it with measuring lengths or spaces. Perhaps applying "The Golden Rule" does measure our growth as Christians when we think less about what others think of us and more about the needs of others. As we use "The Golden Rule" in our lives, may we grow spiritually to new heights.
BIBLE VERSE USED IN THIS POSTING
Matthew 7:12 — So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (NIV)
Mateo 7:12 — Asi que, todas las cosas que queráis que los hombres hagan con vosotros, asà también haced vosotros con ellos; porque esto es la ley y los profetas. (RVR 1960)
Are you growing to new heights?. [Photographer: Alexas Fotos. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.]
* Please do not use our original photos without our permission. These include photos by Mary Hunt Webb, Morris Webb, Jr., Morris Webb, Sr., and C.B. Hunt. Thank you.
