Last night at the 87th annual Academy Awards show in California, young writer Graham Moore took home the “Oscar” for Best Adapted Screenplay for the movie “The Imitation Game.”
In his acceptance speech Graham gave a stirring and moving account of some of his earlier struggles in life. Listen in…
“I tried to commit suicide at 16 and now I am standing here. I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. You do! Stay weird. Stay different, and when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message along.”
SeeingGodAtWorkEveryday…
Here’s some good news for the day!
You are weird! You are different!
I am weird! I am different!
Whew… glad we got that out of the way.
The simple truth is really not all that simplistic.
Who told us we were supposed to be “normal?”
Who was in charge of defining the parameters, the limitations and the constrictions of “normal?”
Why did we listen to them?
Why on God’s green earth did we bend over backward, stress out over a few pimples, compromise our ethics, eviscerate our personhood, dumb down our value system and so as to “fit in”, all the while denying the very attributes that collide together to make us the beautiful, fascinating, intriguing, interesting, gorgeous, “weird and different” people that we are?
On Facebook today one of my friends wrote…”I was a really weird little kid…”
I find that funny in the sense that I never thought of her in any other way than just a fun girl friend who was very enjoyable to hang out with.
I have a feeling we all felt like “really weird little kids” at some point in our lives. Perhaps we still do.
When I was in Junior High everyone had to give an oral book report. Everyone got up there and did a marvelous job. I got up in front of the class and just started crying. Seventh grade boys “don’t cry.” Well, I did and I was ridiculed and humiliated. In eighth grade when it came time to do the oral book reports, I just went ahead and took an “F.” In ninth grade in Mr. Leigh’s English class I delayed my oral book report for four days until I finally got up there on a Monday morning after spending twelve hours over the weekend memorizing twelve pages of my book report.
I preach for a living now!! How crazy is that?
I could spend the next few pages writing to you about how weird and different I am.
And guess what?
You could too!
Here’s the joy of the matter.
I told my future wife on our second date, “People are whacked! People are weird. They are different. We all have bizarre idiosyncrasies. And if you will simply accept the fact that I am whacked and then I will accept the fact that you are whacked, then we will get along just fine.”
Ever since that second date… We have gotten along just fine!
God has fearfully and wonderfully made you from scratch. There is no one like you! You are weird. You are different! You are unique! You are “one of a kind!” You are special! You are one in seven billion! You are a masterpiece!!
So… Let me echo Graham Moore’s sentiments to you today…
Stay weird!
Stay different!
Who knows?
You just might get an “Oscar” for being “Best Original!”
For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139. 13-16)
SeeingGodAtWorkEveryday…
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
David@seeinggodatworkeveryday.com