We want to be all things. We believe that we should be all things. And because of this we destroy uniqueness. We destroy what is beautiful and creative and captivating about ourselves. We compare and compare and compare until we have breathed death over ourselves and death over the people around us. We slice open our skin and our hearts, whittling away at who we are, bleeding out all of our flaws. We stab at others. Those who are the cause of burning jealousy in our hearts. We hate that they appear to be prospering in an area that we are struggling in, so we destroy them with our words and thoughts.

So we live in a prison. A lonely cell. Clawing at ourselves and spitting at others as they walk by so that they won’t come near. We become divided. We start to compete with those who are meant to be on our team. We walk around hating and being hated. And we ruin what should be. The world cannot spin the way that it is supposed to because we are so busy trying to glorify ourselves. We neglect our calling, we neglect our beauty, our gifting. And we shut these things down in others because if we can’t shine, we surely don’t want someone else to.

And we have it all wrong. We were never meant to carry the weight of the world alone. We were never meant to be all things. We would exhaust and destroy ourselves if that were the case. Instead, we’ve been given the greatest gift. A world full of brothers and sisters that will help carry the burden, each in their own unique way.

Because together we are a body. Together we are beautiful. Together we move and breathe and live. Together we are free. Together we walk out of our prison of perfectionism. Because I can let you be what I am not, and you can let me be what you are not. Together perfectionism dies because I am free to be the hands while you are free to be the feet. Together we can stop starving and bingeing and cutting this body that we were created and called to be part of.

Remember who you are. Remember what part of this body you are called to be. Walk confidently in that. And let your brothers and sisters be the part that they are called to be.

We are created for a life of togetherness. We must start embracing that calling.