When I was growing up I played tennis. At that time the number one tennis player in the world, and possibly the greatest of all time, was a 5’8″ lefty from Australia named Rod Laver. Being left handed and short (I also eventually grew to the towering height of 5’8″), Rod Laver was not only my idol, he was the one I patterned my game after.

What I did wasn’t unusual. That is what kids do. We emulate people we admire in the hopes of becoming like them. There is nothing wrong with that. In many ways it is a good way to learn. Eventually though, we run into a problem. We are not the people we are trying to copy. I have come to realize that while I’m a good Geoff Wattoff, I’m a lousy Rod Laver.

The same thing happens in our walk with God. When we first come to know the Lord we tend to emulate those we admire. Again, this is not a bad way to learn. But once again, the time comes when we need to learn to have our own walk, a relationship with God that is uniquely yours.

The Bible tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”. It says in Ephesians that we are His workmaship. One translation says we are His masterpiece. You are in fact unique because that’s the way the Father wants it. There is a unique place in His heart that is reserved for you alone. But you will not learn to experience that place on a regular basis trying to emulate someone else, no matter how much you admire them. That place is reserved for you, the real authentic you that God created.

Over the years I’ve heard many people talk about becoming the man or woman that God wanted them to be. The truth is if we are His workmanship, then who He wants us to be is who He created us to be. You will never fulfill your destiny by trying to be someone else. Your destiny is found in being who God made you to be, no more and no less. How do you do this? You simply trust the one who made you. You truly are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece. He wouldn’t have it any other way.