Caterpillar Harmy always thought that he looked very ordinary and nothing special. He admired butterfliesmmc for having a pair of beautiful wings to fly freely in the air, admired ants for having super strength to lift up things 50 times heavier than their weight, admired snails for having their own houses and not getting wet when it rains, and admired ladybugs for having beautiful appearance. However, he had nothing special and was merely an unconspicuous caterpillar. Eager to be like them, Harmy imitated them with painstaking efforts, but he failed every time. Harmy was bothered and perplexed about it. He said to God in a depressed tone, “God, you’re full of wisdom and created so many special animals. Why did you create me to be so ordinary? It’s unfair!” God said, “Since I made all those creatures so special, surely you were also made to have your own characteristics. Do you feel you’re a defective work? Although you’re dissatisfied with yourself, I love your original form. Is this not enough? You must remember: I have a special plan for you.” Harmy didn’t understand the special plan God said to him until one day when he broke the cocoon into a butterfly and when God’s plan on him was fulfilled. Then, he finally got the meaning of God’s word “I have a special plan for you.” From the story, it can be seen that everything God created has the value and significance of its existence, and everything has its unique characteristics. We needn’t imitate or envy others. If we were all made from the same mold, how dull and boring the world would be! After all, neither of the two finger prints and two sound waves is the same, not even the pieces of snowflake. The world is like a big stage, where everyone is playing an important role and has their own functions and instincts.
God says, “Among all things of creation, from the great to the small, from the small to the microscopic, there was none which was not created by the authority and power of the Creator, and there was a unique and inherent necessity and value to the existence of each creature. Regardless of the differences in their shape and structure, they had but to be made by the Creator to exist under the authority of the Creator. Sometimes people will see an insect, one which is very ugly, and they will say, ‘That insect is so horrible, there’s no way such an ugly thing could have been made by God—there’s no way He would create something so ugly.’ What a foolish view! What they should say is, ‘Though this insect is so ugly, it was made by God, and so it must have its own unique purpose.’ In the thoughts of God, He intended to give each and every appearance, and all sorts of functions and uses, to the various living things He created, and so none of the things God made were cut from the same mold. From their exterior to their internal composition, from their living habits to the location that they occupy—each is different. Cows have the appearance of cows, donkeys have the appearance of donkeys, deer have the appearance of deer, and elephants have the appearance of elephants. Can you say which is the best looking, and which is the ugliest? Can you say which is the most useful, and the existence of which is the least necessary? Some people like the way elephants look, but no one uses elephants to plant fields; some people like the way lions and tigers look, for their appearance is the most impressive amongst all things, but can you keep them as pets? In short, when it comes to all things, man should defer to the authority of the Creator, which is to say, defer to the order appointed by the Creator to all things; this is the wisest attitude. Only an attitude of searching for, and obedience to, the original intentions of the Creator is the true acceptance and certainty of the authority of the Creator. It is good with God, so what reason does man have to find fault?” (from A Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh)
So, when we are dissatisfied with anything of us, can we try to get some comfort from the word “It is good with God”? God’s plan is perfect. All things God created are perfect and are created by God’s power and wisdom. Each one of us has our particular shining points and qualities. We should treat ourselves properly. Only thus can we be ourselves and be happy, finding the value of ourselves and living out a true meaningful life.
