+Jeanne Takenaka @JeanneTakenaka
Five Minute Friday prompt this week is—COMMON. This largely unedited “rough draft” form of writing stretches this perfectionist, in the best of ways. I write for five minutes on a given topic. If you’re interested in learning more about 5-Minute Fridays, check out our hostess, Kate Motaung’s site. Or, click on the link at the bottom of this post. As you read my simpler Friday posts, I hope you’ll join in the conversation!
COMMON
I’ve lived much of my life believing I am common. There’s nothing special about me. I have faults, I get on peoples’ nerves. I’ve fallen short so many times. I have realized that I sometimes equate “common” with “failure.”
I realized that in my mind, “common” meant “insignificant.” Not special. I suspect most of us want to feel special—significant—in some way.
Some of us try to get really good at some talent or skill we have. Because then we stand out. We don’t look common.
Some people were blessed with good looks. They enhance those through what they wear, how they style their hair.
Some of us, who have had the lie that we are “less than” ingrained into our belief systems, we have a hard time seeing ourselves as unique. WE can only see the ordinary, not-standing-out aspects of ourselves.
The thing is? God sees each of us as unique, as significant. He sees each of us through His eternal eyes of love. He sees the beauty, the passion, the fierceness He instilled into each of his creations.
The thing is? We are all works in progress. We are all created by God. He sees each of us as unique. He created each of us with a purpose only we could fulfill. No one else can do what He intended for us to do (see Ephesians 2:10).
In God’s eyes, no-one is common. Each of us is precious in His sight.
He understands our failings and looks at them as learning opportunities. He sees the wounds we’ve lived with and sees them as things that can draw us closer to Him. That can conform us into Jesus’ image. God sees His fingerprints in every cell of who we are.
To Him we are not common. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
What about you? What is one unique thing about you? How do you keep an accurate perspective about who you really are?
Click to Tweet: He created each of us with a purpose only we could fulfill.
I’m linking up with Kate over at Heading Home—Common
Jeanne Takenaka 
Jeanne,
my sweet, beautiful friend. You are beautifully uncommon. Though we have much in common and you are relatable, you stand out. In the contrast of sorrows felt, you have compassion gained. In loss experienced, you savor joys that others may not even acknowledge. Your beauty within is masked from your eyes as God transforms you into pure, unrefined golden splendor. Each day brings you closer to being an exact reflection of Him!
Blessings, my dear one. You are lovely, indeed.
Love,
Tammy
(#3 tonight)
LikeLike
Tammy, thank you for your words of life. They bless me. Truly. I believe the same could be said of you. You shine His love and speak God’s truth with gentleness and straightforwardness. I love that God continually refines us and helps us to better reflect Jesus, don’t you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tis good to be minded of that again, how in Jesus’ eyes, all of us who of his children are not common in his sight. We are more precious to him then we can imagine. Visiting from FMF #7
LikeLike
I still find that thought pretty amazing, Annette. That we can be considered precious by the Creator of the universe! Truly amazing.
LikeLike
You? Common? Not.
I always DID endeavour to be common; it was camouflage that I could use offensively. If you look harmless and weak, you can elude the attention of ‘them’ until it’s time to act.
The aim was always to be the grey man – so that if you board an elevator, and I’m there, you’ll think you’re alone.
The interesting thing is how this has carried over into everyday life – there is nothing unique about me, at least nothing that I would recognize and call to anyone’s attention. I dress plainly, in loose-fitting clothes, and look ‘nondescript’ – but can still carry a slung and hidden MP5 or Uzi if need be. I listen far more than I speak, and measure my words so that they are not memorable.
It’s not a bad way to live.
LikeLike
Thank you, Andrew. I’ve heard you say before how your goal was to be the gray man. Your heart is multi-colored though. In an online world, you stand out as one who speaks truth, plain and simple, who exudes passion, and compassion, and as one who speaks life. That is rare in this world.
LikeLike
Thanks, Jeanne. You made my day.
LikeLike
You have beautiful words my not so common friend. Inner beauty from the Lord’s light shining in us makes us truly uncommon doesn’t it? In the #16 spot today
LikeLike
Thanks, Christy. God’s light shines from you too, in colorful, passionate bursts. 🙂
LikeLike
My thoughts went to things we have in common. Your post reminded me that we are each unique in God’s eyes with gifts for his purposes, even though we have much in common.
LikeLike
I love how that happens, Carol. 🙂 I am looking forward to reading more of the posts for this week’s word. 🙂 We do have much in common, and yet somehow, God makes each of us unique. How does He DO that? 🙂
LikeLike
Not common – chosen and approved 😉 Love how this theme keeps coming up!
LikeLike
Yep, I thought about that as these words came onto the page, Emily. I think He is still working out the truths of the Chosen and Approved theme in my heart and life. What about you?
LikeLike
Common sometimes we want to rise above it and other times we just want to hide in what we think is common.
We all think we are so common and in ways we are. We share commonalities. It is stunning really to think that the common image we all bear is Gods image. Forever making all of us uncommon. I think that psalm 139 passage is such a healthy perspective on what it is like to be us.
LikeLike
I love that thought, Somer! That we all bear a common image—that of Jesus’ presence and love in our hearts. That’s a kind of common that can unite us, right? And I think Psalm 139 is my most favorite one of all.
LikeLike
great post jeanne, re significance and commonness. maybe we often confuse commonness such of many of similar types, with insignificant. that is rarely true! significant can often be the quiet one who works behind the scenes for GOD’s glory…but i digress:)
LikeLike
Martha, you are so right. It’s easy to mistake commonness with significance. My hubs is one of those “behind-the-scenes” workers, and he’s anything but common. You’re so right. We must not mistake the quiet ones and their work, their serving for what we may consider to be common. Thanks for adding this to the conversation!
LikeLike
Our posts have a lot in common this week, but you are definitely not common! I love that we are all unique and that, in God’s eyes, each of us is significant. I like the Bible verses you shared- it’s so important to remember that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that God has a purpose for each of us.
LikeLike
Absolutely! Thank You! I’m in the 49 spot.
LikeLike