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“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).

When I was in junior high I got made fun of for the way I looked. What’s funny is that, looking back, I was not that different looking from so many of the kids who were in my class. Nevertheless, I was still ridiculed and insulted by so many classmates. I came home one day in tears and sat down to talk with my dad.

He is a Christian man, so his council was so helpful.  He opened his Bible to the verses you just read above and he said, “It’s far more important what God says about you than what some silly junior high boy says about you.”  I’ll never forget that.

I read those two verses over and over, then I decided I wanted to say something. I started to write my first message, and it was out of this text.  I went to a Christian school at this time, and I asked my teacher if I could lead the morning Bible study.

Man you talk about afraid, I sure was. But I stood there ready to take whatever came my way because I trusted what this Word said about me. I am wonderfully made. I am not a mistake. I have God’s stamp of approval on me. He did not mess up with me. He created me just the way He wanted to, and that’s all that really matters.

So I got done talking, and my teacher sat in tears.  She could barely speak. The whole class was silent.  And then they began to clap. The message made it to their hearts, I think. At least from the outward appearance, it seemed too. But honestly, it did not matter. What David wrote was 100 percent true.  I am not a mistake. And that applies to you.  What God made inside of you is priceless. Never forget that.

So often what happens to us is we tend to try to gain men’s approval when what we should be striving for is God’s approval (Gal. 1:10).  Our push should be into Christ, and our desire should be to please Jesus over our flesh and man’s approval.

Today, I challenge us all to listen to what Jesus says, rather than what the world says.  Trust HIS word, not the world.  Look at what He wants rather than what other people want.  Follow God’s plan and instruction rather than chasing the approval of men around you.