God’s poem

PETE MARAVICH was one of the best NBA players. He reached the top of basketball in 1980 when he signed with the Boston Celtics, but he suffered many injuries. When his mother had committed suicide Pete had shut himself away, and did not want to speak to anybody. During those two years the press did not exist for him... until one day, at the end of his career, he prayed, and asked God to change his life.

He had despised God, blasphemed and hated his Creator, but in this moment he came back to him, asking for mercy. He returned to his earthly father also, asking him to forgive him for all the times he had despised him. Later on his father also got to know the Lord. On December 14th 1985, the Utah Jazz retired the number seven from Pete's shirt, and later on (in May 1987) he would be included in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

We often lose sight of the fact that God has created us, and he loves us just the way we are. This is the most simple of truths, but one of the hardest to understand, because we all have the risky tendency to wish to be different. I call it "risky" because none of us would fit better in someone else's skin. God has made us different from the rest and there is nobody better or worse than us. If we disappeared from the earth, it would lose something transcendental: someone made by God with a special significance.

Do you believe that? Or do you think that nothing would be lost if you did not exist?... I do not agree. And God doesn't either. How can I be sure of this? It is very simple; just read chapter 2 of Ephesians, verse 10, and there you will find that each one of us is God's POEM (this is the literal translation of the Greek word, the language in which the New Testament was written). Did you not know that? God made you a unique creation. Nobody else is like you! Nobody in the world can understand and respond to each situation like you do. Or as I do.

We live in a world that adores beauty. Only what is beautiful is loved. God is not like that. He loves us regardless of our condition. He loves all cultures. The Bible says he loves the WHOLE world. Yes, it may be that we, like Paul, do not impress anyone face to face... but we are of great value. We are God's poem.

There may be many things we do not understand about our physical body, our intellect, our social environment... but the world would not be complete without us. Do not forget - you are God's poem!