Have you ever felt like a misfit?  I have.  It can be quite disheartening.  I mean I have this trait about me that can be quite different than those that I may find myself around.  It kinda makes me stick out at times.  

     I wasn't sure if it was always a good thing.  We can start looking at others around us and feel that we are to be more like them.  On the other side, we can also see the variety in others as something unfavorable and look to conform them to our ideals.   If they don't, we may shut them out or if allowed in, keep them at bay.  Now sometimes that may be called for if they are causing unnecessary hurts or we of ourselves need healing from some past issues, but I'm not talking about those situations.  I'm talking about the times we seem to do it because people don't fit into our ideals. 

     One day I was feeling really sad and like a misfit.  Felt like people didn't want to play with me.  So, as I often do when feeling so bad, I took it to the Lord.  I was pouring out my heart before him when I kept hearing this song.  I kept trying to ignore the song and just continue on in prayer.  Finally, I was getting annoyed with its interruption into my heartfelt conversation with the Lord.  I recall wondering, "Why do I keep hearing this song about Rudolph and Santa, of all things, when I am pouring my heart out before the Lord?"  Seems I had my own ideal there. 

     Then I just listened and when I did I began to cry.  And this is how it goes:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it,
You could even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names;
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,
Santa came to say:
Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,
You'll go down in history."

     Even as we are all one and the same within Jesus, God has given us all some wonderful unique things in our makeup.  There is no one quite like you.  I am learning not to conform myself to the ideals of others, or even my own misunderstandings there.  Although it is true, our uniqueness and God-given gifts and talents do need to be found in Jesus to shine brightly for him and be the most beneficial to those around us. 

     I still cried for Rudolph though.  I mean why did it take that for the other reindeers to accept him?  Why didn't they accept him when he was still looking weird to them?  Isn't this what we all want, to be loved and accepted as we are? 

     So if you find yourself in a similar situation, do share with the Lord and allow him to comfort you.  I also like to understand how these situations help me relate to the sufferings of our Lord and his body.  I can't claim that I myself have been totally exempt from such behavior for whatever reason.  Yet in my pain I can relate to my fellowman and offer up prayers on our behalf. 

     Do know that as you offer it up to him, in his way and timing that shiny nose of yours will be used to help guide his sleigh.  In the meantime, enjoy your intimate relationship with him and allow him to play with you.  He is such a comfort, and great fun too. 

Psalm 139:13-18

     You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
      and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
      Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
      as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
  You saw me before I was born.
      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
   Every moment was laid out
      before a single day had passed.

  How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
      They cannot be numbered!
  I can’t even count them;
      they outnumber the grains of sand!
   And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

And I think this spontaneous worship song by

Jason Upton works well here.  Enjoy!

Song:  Faith