“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7

I have a tendency to compare myself to others. I believe that most people do, whether they realize it or not. It is just human nature to find the worst in ourselves and compare it to the better parts of other people around us. Going to a Christian university is an amazing experience, but I struggle sometimes with not feeling like a really belong with all of these “godly” people.

In the midst of all the missionary kids, pastors’ kids, super active church members, and those who have been on more mission trips than I can keep up with, I cannot help but view my life as inadequate. It is like I'm not on the same level as the people who surround me; like I'm not qualified to be a Christian university. I couldn't understand how none of these people seemed to struggle. No one ever seemed confused or stuck. Everyone’s roadmap of life seemed smooth and legible, while mine was crumpled and written in a foreign language. I became somewhat discouraged. I have been wrestling with this since the beginning of my freshman year, about a year ago. Now, after a year of wrestling, praying, and impatient waiting, I think I'm finally starting to understand.

“as you received… so walk”

It was this short phrase that caught my attention this week during my quiet time. The first thing that came to my mind after reading this was, how did I receive Jesus? Not “how” as in what prayer did I pray, but “how” as in where was I in my life. What was my starting point? I started to see how everyone receives Jesus at different points in their life, under different circumstances. Different ages, different times, and different places. Some people were at an altar, some were in a ditch. Some had people praying with them or around them, some alone. Some on a Sunday morning and some on a Tuesday night. As a five-year-old or an eighty-five- year old. The point is, we all receive Jesus differently, so why do so many of us try to fit our story into a mold? If there was a certain mold we had to fit our relationship with Jesus in, we wouldn't have a true relationship. Each one is extravagantly different, unique, wonderful, and unlike any other. We all walk a certain way, at a certain pace, and with a certain stride.

As verse six shows how our relationships with Christ are different, verse seven shows how we are all connected:

“Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving”

The common denominator in all our lives is Jesus Himself. He is our living hope, and the source of our joy. Our faith is in Him. We learn from different things. We don't always learn the same things at the same time. We all have our roots in Jesus and His Word. But, just as no tree grows the same way, no Christian does either.