Charlie Brown

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:13-17 ESV). The following is a true story about a boy who, the world might say, was a terrible underachiever. While in the eighth grade, he failed subjects repeatedly. High school wasn't much better; he flunked Latin, Algebra, English, and received a grade of zero in Physics. The boy managed to make the school golf team, but he lost the most important golf match of the season, and even though there was a consolation match, he failed miserably in that too. It's not that his peers disliked this boy; it's just that they never really seemed to notice him much. Even "Hellos" in the hall were a rarity. Out of all the failures in his life, there was something that did hold great importance to this boy, his love of drawing. Although in high school, the cartoons he submitted to the yearbook were rejected, once out of school, the boy was so sure of his artistic talent that he approached Walt Disney Studios with drawing samples. I wish I could say the studio execs loved his work and immediately hired him, but such was not the case. He received another huge rejection. Despite his many lack of successes, this boy did not give up. He then decided to write his own autobiography in cartoons, about a little boy who was regarded as a loser and nobody. The name of this boy was Charles Schulz, the creator of the famous Charlie Brown and Peanuts comic strip. In life, it is sometimes easy to feel like a nobody. We pass hundreds of people on the street on our way to work, or walk through a faceless crowd in a mall, and no one seems to notice or care. Deep inside, we may know we are special and unique and have lots to offer, but unless someone takes the time to look our way and give us a chance, we may feel worthless and mediocre, just like Charlie Brown who couldn't even manage to fly a kite or kick a football properly. Just as Charles Schulz had faith in his artistic talent, so too, we ought to realize that nobody is a nobody, especially in God's eyes. We all have special gifts and talents, and every human being is deserving and capable of being loved and appreciated. Today, I invite you to look deep within yourself, and rather than see what you can do to improve yourself, as all the many self-help books suggest, find what you already "like" about yourself! Do you have an awesome laugh or smile? Are you thoughtful and sensitive to the needs of others? Are you down-to-earth and practical? Do you enjoy your ability to dream and hope? Our heavenly Father does not see with external eyes, but sees to the very core of our foundation. There is nothing we can hide from Him, and He alone, knows our motives and most secret desires. Learn to love yourself the way our Creator does, and learn to reach out to others the same way God is awaiting you with open arms.