Defined by Excellence

The Bible teaches that we were all specifically crafted and uniquely formed by God while within our mothers’ wombs, and He was actively engaged in perfecting every detail of our lives.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them (Ps 139:13-16).

Notice the words used to describe our creation

  • Fearfully – In the original Hebrew language this word conveys the concept of something which provokes a response of awe, wonder and reverence.
  • Wonderfully – This word is translated from a Hebrew word that communicates the idea of something being distinct, separate or distinguished among others.
  • Marvelous – This Hebrew word is very similar to the previous word translated wonderfully above in both pronunciation and spelling. Whereas the previous Hebrew word was palah, the word used here is pala and basically means the same as the previous word but with the emphasis of being extraordinary and surpassingly marvelous.

  • Skillfully – This is a very interesting word in the Hebrew. It conveys the sense of a craftsman skillfully weaving, embroidering and crafting a very intricate design of needlework. It conveys the idea of great detail and complexity, sort of like a great painter or designer who shows great attention to detail.

Taken together, these words form a very powerful picture of the awesome excellence and detail that God put into designing each and every one of us. The size of your nose, the color of your eyes, the height of your frame, the color of your skin, the texture of your hair, the shape of your skull – everything about you was carefully and intelligently designed and crafted by God.

Yet, there are so many of us today who for one reason or another are dissatisfied with who we are or what we look like. While it is quite acceptable to desire to look your best, it is, however, unacceptable to allow Hollywood or the media to define what true beauty and excellence looks like today. By Hollywood’s standards, at least three quarters of the world’s population are average at best or unattractive at worst. Who are you going to believe? Are you going to continue to torture yourself because you’re unable to achieve an appearance that looks similar to that of America’s Top Model, or will you believe that God did the absolute best when He created you and start accepting yourself the way you are?

There are so many people today who are trying to be like someone else. Who are you trying to be like? Maybe you’re trying to be the next Bishop TD Jakes, Rod Parsley, Michael Jordan, Tyra Banks, Mariah Carey, Will Smith or some other famous celebrity or glamorous person. Why not direct all your efforts into becoming the best you that you can possibly be? The best you will ever be able to accomplish by mimicking or copying someone else is second best, because no matter how much you may look like, dress like, speak like, sing like, act like, play like or perform like the other person, you will never be able to surpass the original. So why bother to put so much time and effort into something you will never be able to completely master?

On the other hand, why not take the time to discover and develop your unique talents and abilities. You were born with a unique calling and purpose, not to live in someone else’s shadow. Even if you’re an identical twin or triplet, your brother or sister may look like you in terms of having the same physical characteristics, but those similarities are only skin deep. You have different personalities, different aspirations, different likes or dislikes, different talents and abilities, and different callings. In the end, you will not be defined by what you look like on the outside, but by what motivates you on the inside.

People may choose to call you names like ugly, stupid, loser, moron, a mistake, or any other harsh and cruel name in the book, but you must choose not to be defined by them, because God never made you that way. In fact, one of the most inaccurate names that someone can call you is loser, because every one of us were winners from the very moment we were conceived.

Destined to Win

According to biological research, the male ejaculation during the time of intercourse is capable of producing anywhere from 250 to as many as 500 million sperm cells. Each of these sperm cells is coded with chromosomes, DNA and unique genetic code that help to define who you are as a person, including your physical characteristics. These microscopic organisms must travel a great and treacherous distance as they make their way through the female uterus and up the fallopian tube before connecting with the female egg or ovum for conception to take place. Millions of sperm cells die during that journey or are trapped by the mucus membranes located along the walls of the woman’s reproductive organs. In any event, only one sperm cell (the one that makes it there first) out of the hundreds of millions of them released is able to fertilize the female egg and cause conception. In other words, we’re not just one in a million – we’re one in a half billion, and we have already proven that we have what it takes to win in life by overcoming the many obstacles, fatally threatening circumstances, and hundreds of millions of competitors eagerly vying to deny us the prize of being conceived in our mother’s womb.

You were a winner even before you were born, regardless of what your friends, teachers, parents, co-workers or employers may say to contradict that fact. And it is a fact, proven by your very existence upon the earth. Millions of other genetic conceptions could have taken place, forming a completely different you; but you were the one that made it. You beat out hundreds of millions of other competitors to get here, because God knew that the world needed someone with your specific internal characteristics and physical attributes, and because you had what it takes to win. You are a winner destined to win! You are a conqueror awaiting something else to conquer and the world is in need of what you have to offer.

Arise as the beautiful, perfectly formed and conquering winner that you already are. Take your place on the grand stage of this world by understanding and fulfilling your original purpose. Be the best that you can be and know that there will never be anyone else like you, and there will never be anyone capable of beating you at being you. You were destined to succeed, because you’re destined to win!