NOT THE SAME
There is an age-old debate circulating about the making of sandwiches, tuna, and potato salads. Mayo or Miracle Whip? While superficially, these two dressings look alike, use most of the same ingredients, and operate with the same functions, there are distinct differences between the two. Mayo is typically heavier and tangier, and whipped dressings are lighter and sweeter, but you wouldn't know that until you put it on your sandwich and take a bite. Sure, some people can't tell the difference, yet the differences are there, and clear to those who take the time to truly savor what they are eating. So no ... Mayo is NOT THE SAME as Miracle Whip!
I'm sure you're asking, "What does this have to do with me?"
Well, you have been given a gift; a function to serve in this world. God gave it to you, for reasons that are all His own. It is very easy to look at what's been given to you generically, assuming it is the same thing such-n-such, and so-n-so has been given. On the surface, there are a lot of people who have the same gifting; but upon further inspection, you will discover they are NOT THE SAME.
There are subtle and seemingly undetectable, differences that make you ... well ... YOU! While you may even serve the same function as someone else, your differences may determine the contexts in which you will flourish. For example, if I may continue my analogy, I prefer my potato salad be made with mayo. I also prefer my tuna salad be made with whipped dressing. However, when it comes down to a sandwich or burger, I can go either way. With either context, mayo and Miracle Whip could be used interchangeably, but their subtle differences suit my tastes differently.
So, don't get discouraged when you see a gift like yours, functioning like yours, looking and sounding like yours, that is being received differently; you are NOT THE SAME. Don't think that you deserve the same platforms as similar gifts with a wider reach; you are NOT THE SAME. Don't assume that someone with the same abilities or comparable styles reflects where you are going; you are NOT THE SAME. Embrace your differences and shine where you are. At the end of the day, God knows what He is doing, so trust the process.
© 2017 Derek J. Murphy Enterprises, and I AM KINGDOM Publishing, All Rights Reserved.
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