[Gold In Everyone]

I love meeting new people. It's so fascinating. Someone who you had no clue existed and all of a sudden they are a reality in your world. And they are the only them that there is.

It is pretty incredible if you think about it that there are over 7 billion people living and no two people are the same. Each person is a little bit different or a lot different but regardless each person is their own person.

There's something special about differences. There's something special about uniqueness. And it's so funny how as a culture we are often trying to move the opposite direction where we are fitting in and compromising towards the social norms and towards the person who doesn't stand out in the crowd.

Well, I think that's stupid.

We weren't created to fit in. If we were, then why are we each so different. We each have a unique expression. Some people like to sing, some people like to draw, and some people like to do Zumba. We each have different passions and different things that bring us to life.

I think there is gold inside of everyone. The moment you try to become someone that you aren't, you begin to sacrifice that authentic gold that is solely inside of you for a counterfeit fool's gold. Here's the thing, even if you somehow achieve getting that fool's gold it will sparkle at first but then people will see past the surface and realize it ain't the real thing. It ain't the real you.

I think God is awesome. I believe that we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27). Honestly, I think that's why I get so excited when I meet someone new, because I am meeting a new expression of God. How cool is that? And because we were created in His image we each have inherent value. He placed the gold inside of us. No one person is a waste. No one person is a re-do or a mistake. And each person is a different picture of the heart of God, a different snapshot, a different angle.

You see, life is amazing. We are surrounded by intriguing people who are each so different. What a great opportunity to highlight the gold in others and to remind them of their inherent value. It's funny too how when you start seeing the gold it other people, your gold starts rising to the surface.

May your love be strong,

Joey

P.s. The cover picture is of Jemima. Last summer I was in Haiti teaching English and working with a microfinance company. When I first arrived to the compound I was staying at she ran up to me, grabbed my hand and kissed it. I later found out that that was her technique to get money to pay for fresco (shaved ice) but she still stole my heart from day one.. and got her fair share of fresco money from me as well Ha! She is the sweetest little girl, a total fireball. Her mother passed away about a year ago but she still lights the world on fire with her joyful smile and her playful presence. So much gold in this girl.