At some point over the course of today I came to the realization that my shirt does not match the rest of my outfit.  Unfortunately, this isn’t particularly surprising.  It’s certainly not the first time, although I do actually make an effort to match… sometimes. 

The problem is I really don’t like anything about the whole “what should I wear today” scenario.  For one thing, my selection is limited because I dislike shopping for clothes in the first place.  For another, the clothes I would prefer to wear – garish colors in odd combinations – are typically frowned upon as not going together at all.  It’s not that I’m trying to make a statement when I wear odd color combiantions.  I just actually like purple, orange, and green.  Together.  Unfortunately, the rest of the world seems to disagree.

So sometimes, even when I try to put together office attire that works, I suddenly realize, while standing beneath the fluorescent glow of the cubicle lights, that (oops) it really doesn’t.  Pity the poor folks who work with me.

I have a propensity for odd things.  Colors, for starters.  But also odd numbers. My favorite number is 27.  And unlike some people who choose their favorite number because of a special personal significance, I chose my favorite number simply because it is odd.  And not just odd itself, but composed entirely of another wonderfully odd number.  In fact, 27 = 3 x 3 x 3.  Three threes multiplied together!  Really, what gets more perfectly odd than that?

I have a theory that was developed over the course of late night conversations with friends who occasionally humor me in pondering ridiculously inconsequential subjects during the wee hours of the morning.  My theory goes like this: I was born in an odd month.  On an odd day.  In an odd year.  It is another perfect set of three odd numbers.  Clearly, I am destined for oddity.

It turns out, the Bible supports me in this. Maybe not so much the odd birthday theory, but God does uniquely create each one of us to fulfill the special destiny He has ordained.  To Jeremiah, God declared: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5).  David acknowledges, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb…I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13-14).

Paul, too, writes frequently of the unique contributions expected of believers.  Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us (Romans 12:4-6). 

I am odd.  But more than odd, I’m one-of-a-kind.  I have a special place within God’s plan.  He made every detail of me especially for His purposes, and that includes my preference for numbers and colors. He made every detail of you especially for his purposes, too.

Have you ever felt like the odd man out?  That’s probably because you are.  But then, so is everyone else.  We are all fearfully and wonderfully made.  And we were all made with God’s good purpose in mind.  We must take our place within the body of Christ, because we are the only ones who can fulfill the plan that God created us for.  There is no one else who can do it.  God has created each one of us unique. 

In God’s eyes, every one of us is matchless.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalm 139:14).