One Size Fits All

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

Ocassionally I buy an article of clothing that does not have a specific size marked on it. Instead, the label says, "One size fits all". Although the marvels of modern technoogy have provided us with various stretch fabrics, the claim that one size fits all is somewhat exaggerated. The only person who gets a fairly good fit is one whose size is in the mid-range.

Sometimes the approach is a little different. I recently bought a pair of foam insoles for my shoes. I looked for my size, but all I saw were some marked, "One size fits all". I wondered how that could be, since they were not made out of stretch fabric. I soon found out. They were made for the largest size. If your size was smaller, a pair of scissors could be used to cut them down to size.

That set me to thinking about the way we so often act. Sometimes the "One size fits all" philosophy is expressed when we don't feel good about ourselves. We adopt some admired person as our model, and begin to pattern ourselves after that person. Often we are frustrated because the other person's pattern doesn't fit. Then we either give up in defeat, or redouble our efforts to be a carbon copy.

Another way this philosophy is expressed is when we do feel good about ourselves. In such a case, we consider ourselves to be the perfect size, and want everyone else to be the same as we are. So with our critical words and judgemental attitudes we "cut them down to size". Our size.

In each instance we are ignoring some important truths about the way God created us. Each of us is a unique creation of God, not an accidental combination of genes. God made us the way we are because He wanted someone like that in His world. We can improve on the person we are, of course, but we remain the same person just the same.

To wish we were like someone else, is a denial of our own uniqueness. To wish others were just like we are, is a denial of their uniqueness. Either way, we are sitting in judgement on God, who made us as we are.

Accept your uniqueness. Strive in the power of the Spirit to be the best "you" possible. Accept the uniqueness of others. Pray for and encourage them to be their best also.

You'll be glad you did.

(From “The Scribe” - Vol. 2 No. 1 - February 1993)