Sometimes it’s not easy to be different.
Not just different, but peculiar.
My mom always tells me a story about a girl that she went to grade school with…
Peculiar she was, but not for things admirable; things memorable, but not admirable. Bumpy and dirty, her face earned her hurtful remarks from the kids in grade school. If that wasn’t enough, her odor earned her seats of rejection during lunchtime, recess and gym class. She was Miss Peculiar alright, but so was my mom.
For different reasons.
My mom had friends- lots of them. Even from a young age, her heart has always been one open to making others feel accepted. {To this day, her heart is unmatched.}
Back to her story. My mom was planning to have a big sleepover. All the girls from class were invited- my mom even invited Miss Peculiar. The other girls didn’t want her there. They really didn’t. So much so that some threatened not to come.
My mom had to make a choice.
She could politely disinvite Miss Peculiar, promising her her own personal sleepover another day, or she could keep the invite intact and risk the aftermath of being associated with ‘her‘.
My mom chose the latter. As peculiar as it was to be so daring, so willing to go against the grain at such a young age, she did. The result? Miss Peculiar showed up with a smile from ear to ear. That was her first invite to a friend’s party, let alone a sleepover, and she gladly accepted. Her mom bought her new pajamas just for her night out, gave her a fresh bath, did her hair, and even let her bring some of her most treasured toys along. Miss Peculiar was so thankful, so and joyful to be included in spending time with the other girls from class, well, the ones that actually decided to come anyway- most did not…
My mom didn’t know it then, but she was Peculiarly Brave and because of it, she made an impact on this young girls life.
On the phone just the other night as we revisited my ma’s grade school memories, she remembered that she had the opportunity to see Miss Peculiar 25 years later at a grocery store and was truly blessed because of it. After all these years have passed Miss Peculiar thanked my also peculiar mom with these words, “You know, you were always so nice to me. I didn’t have friends but I knew I had your friendship and that made a lot of what hurt so much during those years a lot less painful. Thank you.”
Wow.
And there it is- the one command treasured by the heart of God and what I believe He desires most from those of us who long to please Him.
Simply, to Love God and Love others wholly. PERIOD.
I thought on this the other day when I took my kiddos to the jumpy gym place and noticed my son in huge pool of red and blue blocks. There were SO many; the block pit was massive, yet, my son stood out like a sore thumb. He was peculiar among all of the blocks. {Humor me for a minute 🙂 }
He didn’t fit in; he was different. VASTLY different. But he loved those blocks, all of them the same. He sincerely enjoyed being with them. There was no denying his true joy and there was no denying that he was peculiar among them!
Oh that I can help him apply this to his part of the world and the people within it!
As I watched him jump in and out of that pit, and as my mom’s story was fresh on my mind, I thought of a great verse in God’s Word:
“But you are not like that, {the rest of the world} for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. {His most loved and prized one- yet, we strive for approval elsewhere.} As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, {Love, Relationship and Joy!} for he called you out of the darkness {Life lived w/o Him.} into His wonderful light. {Life w/ Him and forever changed.}” 1 Peter 2:9 emphasis mine.
There, as he was playing I committed in my heart to daily allow my boy to see his momma peculiar in how, when, why, and whom I LOVE without favor- even if unreciprocated.
This is how Jesus lived.
When we are unafraid to LOVE His way, hearts soften, lives change, and true and healthy relationships form.
I thought to myself, ‘My son must know this! My son needs to be a man of peculiarity- A man of fairness always, unbiased love unconditionally and able stand strong on his convictions without waiver.
That day my prayer life for him changed and I started to pray for my boy this way, and maybe you ‘d like to join me in praying this for yours as well? It’s simply this:
Father,
Thank you for the gift of my sweet boy. Lord, grow him to be a man who is unafraid of being unashamedly Yours.
God, please give him strength, courage and confidence to
fight for Truth,
love without precedence, and
forgive without record
always valuing YOUR righteousness over popularity and
HIS integrity over comfort all of his days.
For this is peculiar.
Father, this world can be mean, persuasive and demanding. This world wants my boy to fit in, sell out and soak up so much of what goes against Your Heart, and that makes this momma’s heart weary. I don’t want him to resemble a world of ‘look alikes’ Lord. Please make him always the stand out! This world’s influence is strong, but I know that Yours is greater still. You told me that You have overcome the world, and Lord, I believe you.
Trusting His Heart to Yours In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
All of the other girls didn’t want to be with Miss Peculiar. My mom invited her anyway.
All of the world is capable of disappointing us. We are called to love them anyway.
All of us have slighted Him. He died for us and loves us anyway. . .
I’d say we have reason to live Peculiar!
Praying this with you friends and thank you for reading!
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Josie Valley is a passionate wife, momma and advocate for women’s relational and emotional health. When she is not ‘momming,’ Josie spends time developing her ministry, ‘Minutes Matter,’ which helps women be transparent, embrace commonalities and join together in sisterhood, ultimately experiencing the love and joy of Christ in their friendships and everyday lives. Josie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management/Business and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling. She is a writer, speaker, counselor, mentor and friend and is currently working on her first book which is due for completion by the end of this year. One of her greatest joys is singing with her husband, who often leads them in worship, while the kids look on and dancing along! Josie truly believes that we all need Jesus and we all need each other! She truly hopes to connect with you too!
Because Time Never Stops…how we spend our #MinutesMatter!”
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