The Odd One Out

Most, if not all of us, have felt like the odd one out at times. Seems that more often than not I feel like that as a single mum. Perhaps these are the times I need to look at myself differently, not as a single mum, but as a child of God, loved and made whole by Him, and to focus on following Him.

Last weekend I took Sarah to the dedication of some friends' little boys. I don't remember consciously thinking this at the time, but afterwards I think I felt upset because I can't offer Sarah and Lucy what my friends, as husband and wife/mum and dad, can offer their boys. They're committed to teaching their kids about Jesus together.

Since coming to this realisation, I've been reading a book, 'My Single Mum Life' by Angela Thomas, given to me by one of my parents' friends, who is also divorced. Angela writes about a similar experience of feeling like the odd one out (pxv, xvi):

'Then I made the mistake of looking around. All the other families seemed to be a man and a woman with some kids. Whole families. In truth, many could have been third marriages with blended kids, and dysfunctional as heck, but that night - at least in the glow of the Christmas candles - they looked whole. I know there are other single moms at my church, but at that service I couldn't spot anyone who looked like us. And my heart ached.'

As I was reading the gospel of Mark yesterday, this verse jumped out at me, 'At once they left their nets and followed [Jesus]' (1:18). I also noticed the reference to James and John (two of the disciples) as 'Sons of Thunder' (3:17), which the cheat notes suggest is related to their dispositions.

I was challenged anew that God wants to use each one of us to share His love with those around us. That He can use our different personalities and backgrounds. Yes, He will even use the 'Sons of Thunder', and even us single mums!! I can waste time worrying about why I'm not suitable to share God's love with a particular person, why I'm not ready yet... or I can leave my nets - my own plans and dreams - and follow Jesus.