Individuality
Our God is a unique, one and only God. There is nothing and no one like Him in all the universe.
It only makes sense that everything He creates is also unique and one-of-a-kind. No two people
are exactly alike. Even identical twins have uniquely different fingerprints. We are each an
original—even you!
The amazing thing about being uniquely created is that you have “good works” that only you can
do. Every day you get opportunities to make a difference by doing something specially designed
for you. No one else can combine your experiences, your abilities, and your relationships to
follow God’s leading and make a difference in your world like only you can.
The same is true for each of our kids. God has created each of them to have unique stories,
talents, and gifts that He can use to make a difference in the world around them. This month’s
memory verse teaches kids that they don’t have to wait to be used by God: “Don’t let anyone
look down on you because you are young. Set an example for the believers in what you say
and in how you live.” 1 Timothy 4:12a, NIrV
This verse is from a letter that Paul sent to Timothy, a young leader in the early church who was
facing a challenging situation. But God had uniquely designed Timothy to be in just this situation
at just this time. The way God used Timothy’s individuality to make a difference shows us how
He can use us, too. So, we’re going to spend all month learning from Timothy’s example.
In Week One, we learn that Timothy’s family is unique, giving Timothy the ability to relate to
different people. When Paul’s missionary journey brings him to Timothy’s hometown (Acts
14:1-23), Timothy decides to connect his story to God’s story. Our Bottom Line is: Jesus wants
to use your story to make a big difference.
In Week Two, we see that the believers in Timothy’s hometown recognized his God-given talent
of teaching (1 Timothy 4:14). But Timothy didn’t just learn that he was a good teacher and pat
himself on the back. He put his giftedness to good work and used the talents God had given him
by joining Paul’s next missionary journey (Acts 16:1-2). Our Bottom Line is: When you
discover your gifts, you can make a difference.
In Week Three, we learn that Paul and Timothy had traveled to Corinth and started a church of
believers. But they later received word that there was trouble in the Corinthian church, so Paul
sent Timothy to the Corinthians and he also gave them the message of 1 Corinthians 12:12-21,
25-27. The same message applies to us today. But each of us is gifted in different ways, and
that’s a good thing. Our Bottom Line is: When we use our gifts together, we make a greater
difference.
In Week Four, Paul and Timothy have traveled to Ephesus and taught the church there. When
Paul is called to Macedonia, he leaves Timothy in charge. But the church in Ephesus has false
teachers, so Timothy has a tough job ahead of him. Paul encourages Timothy with a letter that
contains our Bible story this week: 1 Timothy 4:12-16. Our Bottom Line is: You can make a
difference right now.
When we allow God to combine our unique story with our talents and our relationship with
others, we can make a big difference in our world. The first step is discovering who you are
meant to be—your own, individual place in the world.