A fascinating study was done on divergent thinking – which is thinking outside the box. The results? Ninety-eight per cent of children between three and five years old scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. Between eight and ten, that number dropped to 32 per cent. By the time they became teenagers, it dropped down to 10 per cent. And of those over twenty-five, only 2 per cent scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. That means the older you get, the greater your tendency will become to resist change. It also means you may fail to discover your God-given assignment in life and develop the skills necessary to fulfil it. The Bible says, ‘Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function…God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well’ (Romans 12:4, 6 NLT). God’s plan for your life involves finding out what makes you different and discovering those things you do well. Too many individuals in too many churches look and act too much alike. Pastors can create this. Peer pressure can create this. If anywhere should celebrate diversity, it’s the church. There never has been, and there never will be, a person like you. And that isn’t a tribute to you; it’s a tribute to the God who created and redeemed you to fulfil His purposes. And that calls for discovering who you are, and who you’re not. Think about it: wouldn’t you rather be disliked for who you are than liked for who you’re not? So, discover what makes you special.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.