30 Aug, 2011
Extra Blessings
Yoandri Hernandez Garrido, a cuban man, is best known as "24," by those in his hometown (and, no, it has nothing to do with the tv show). According to an article by the Associated Press, "[his] nickname comes from the six perfectly formed fingers on each of his hands and the six impeccable toes on each foot.
"Hernandez is proud of his extra digits and calls them a blessing, saying they set him apart and enable him to make a living by scrambling up palm trees to cut coconuts and posing for photographs in this eastern Cuban city popular with tourists. One traveler paid $10 for a picture with him, Hernandez said, a bonanza in a country with an average salary of just $20 a month. "It's thanks to my 24 digits that I'm able to make a living, because I have no fixed job," Hernandez said. Known as polydactyly, Hernandez's condition is relatively common, but it's rare for the extra digits to be so perfect. Anyone who glanced quickly at his hands would be hard-pressed to notice anything different unless they paused and started counting."
Hernandez is hopeful that his life will encourage other young people who are born with polydactyly, that they would see it as a blessing, rather than a curse. "I think it's what God commanded," he said. "They shouldn't feel bad about anything, because I think it's one of the greatest blessings and they'll be happy in life."
(See the whole story at Google News; picture courtesy of Google Images)
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What God's Story scripture teach us about His purpose and plans?
It can be easy to look at things in our life with a narrow perspective - our problems and struggles are too personal to be able to look at them objectively and with purpose. Yet, God's word tells us that there is a purpose in everything He does and a purpose for each one of us. Ultimately, His purpose (and ours) is to bring Him glory. If we are seeking Christ and striving to glorify Him with our lives (no matter what our situation), we need not worry about our future, or even why things are the way they are. Instead, we can rest in the knowledge and promise that God's plans for us are perfect, that they are meant to prosper us and give us hope (Jer. 29:11).
How can I connect today's story and God's Story scripture to my life?
Have you ever found yourself with blinders on your eyes? Is your perspective one in which you see yourself as the victim? It's easy to feel sorry for ourselves when things don't go the way we think they should, or when God deals us something that we don't think is fair. When you sense your attitude shifting toward this way of thinking, remember 2 Thess. 1:11-12 and the perspective of Yoandri Hernandez Garrido - look at your circumstances as a blessing, knowing that God has a plan and purpose and He wants to use it to glorify Himself, through your faith.
How can I connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and my story to others?
It won't take long for you to look around and see people who feel like God's dealt them an unfair hand, especially if their circumstances are extreme, or permanent. Do your best to encourage your friends and to help them see the bigger picture: that God could (we know that he does) have a plan/purpose in it all. Tell your friend about today's story and the way Hernandez chose to use his circumstance for good, choosing to see his extra digits as a blessing instead of a curse. Share Jer. 29:11 with them. Be careful that your heart and intentions shine through and that you don't come across calloused or just looking to solve the problem. Your friend needs someone to listen to him/her and someone who's willing to walk them through the long-haul, not just someone with answers. Pray that God would help your friend to see how He's at work and that He is in control.
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