Wonderfully Peculiar People
“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” –
Deuteronomy 14:2 KJV
Until recently, the word, “peculiar,“ had never been an adjective that I would have considered positive. However, on one particular morning, while glancing in the mirror, my attention was suddenly drawn to my thick ankles, wrinkles and grey hair. And before I knew it, I was compiling a list of my quirks, flaws and disabilities in my head. Remembering my past capabilities that had been taken away, made me feel old and useless. Seeing my brokenness en masse, carried a sharp sting.
It was then that this verse came to mind, because, as one chosen by God, I am deemed peculiar, too. I didn’t like the thought that God was describing me with an adjective that to me meant “strange or odd.”
The Lord, in His kindness, led me to scriptures in which the people of God are called peculiar. In the original language, the use of the word in Deuteronomy 14:2 means “light bearing” or “morning star.” As a morning star, we are the first light that people in the darkness will see. Our presence heralds a new day, a new hope and a promise of fresh mercy as we reflect His light into the darkness.
In Titus 2:14, “peculiar” does not mean abnormal or weird, but “beyond usual or beyond ordinary.” We are not “less than,” but rather MORE than ordinary—we are ”extra”. We are extraordinary!
My favorite is I Peter 2:9 which uses “peculiar” to mean with “an intent” within a particular “time” and “place” with a “purpose”. It speaks of “preservation,” “purchased,” “possession” and “saving.” It also relates to “among” and “against.”
In a nutshell, here “peculiar” means that we were not a mistake. We were and are wanted by God, and He positioned us intentionally at this time in history, and precisely where we are on this planet, for a specific purpose. And many of our peculiarities are the very tools necessary to complete the work He has assigned for us to do (Eph 2:10).
Our quirks and disabilities give us a voice to people in this world that struggle to receive from those WITHOUT visible weakness. Every flaw was taken into account in His plan. He works them all together for the good.
We have been “preserved” for God Himself. He “saved” and “purchased” us, so we could be His own. In Luke 6:22, Jesus taught that we will be among the people of the world, but our ways will be against the ways of the flesh. And the world will hate us, because we follow Him.
In the end, the best news is that it isn’t our brokenness that will travel with us beyond the grave. Faith, hope and LOVE are all that will remain (1 Cor 13:13). And if we retain them, until our dying breath, our lives will have held the greatest power and purpose in the universe until the very end.
Beloved, THAT is what it means to be God’s “peculiar people.”
Father, we are Your extraordinary, beloved children. Our flaws, failures and brokenness are all factored into Your master plan. Nothing about us is beyond Your ability to use for Your glory, and Your strength is made perfect in our weakness. Hallelujah! Beyond the end of our strength—beyond our ability to “do”, and until our final breath, our lives can have meaning and purpose, as we choose to love the world around us with the love of Christ. Thank You for loving us, Lord, for pouring out Your love through us, and for declaring us Your wonderfully peculiar people. In Jesus’ Name ❤️
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