“I Can’t Be Everyone’s Chick-fil-A Sauce. And Neither Can You.”

One friend had to climb into the play tubes a few times to save her 22-month-old, but it was still worth every penny. Every. Single. One.

Even though we were all wearing stretchy workout pants and headbands to hide our greasy hair, the staff continued to refill our sweet tea with a smile and extra ice. And nobody stared when our kids screamed, and squealed, and had fun, and acted like tiny tyrants. And everyone said ‘my pleasure,’ which made us all feel like we were royalty, or A-list celebrities, or at least people who didn’t have salad dressing stains all down our tee-shirts.

I love that place. Let the whole world know: I love it, and I am better for having eaten their spicy chicken sandwiches.

So anyways, we are eating. And I look at the half-eaten dipping sauces spread out on the table before us. I have Chick-fil-A sauce, because, let’s be honest, it’s the best. Someone else has Polynesian, and someone else has good ole, classic ketchup.

And I laughed, because, 1. How could everyone not like the Chick-fil-A sauce? I mean, it’s seriously amazing and 2. It reminded me that everyone is different, and everyone chooses differently, and what everyone needs varies, so I probably shouldn’t take it so dadgum personally when someone doesn’t like me, when someone doesn’t want to be my best friend, when I feel left out or excluded. I mean…I can’t do it. I can’t be everyone’s Chick-fil-A sauce. And neither can you.

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For some people, you are going to be too salty, and for others, you are going to be too sweet. For some, you will be too bold, and for others, you won’t have enough flavor. You will be too much and not enough for some people’s taste buds to handle and THAT IS OKAY.

That is soooo okay. God didn’t make you to be loved by everyone. He didn’t make you to be one-size-fits-all and generic and boring. He did not send you to this earth so that you could please all the people. He did not create you to be popular, or to be invited to all the parties, or to be included in every group text. He made you to love Him, and to follow Him, and to carry out His very specific purpose by being your own distinct flavor.

Your flavor won’t be for everyone. Not everyone is going to request you, or want you, or put you on their plate. Some may even turn up their nose at the mention of your name. Take a deep breath and learn to be okay with it.

And the next time the devil tries to attack you, or make you stumble over the vicious lie that you are less than, or insecure, or like something is wrong with who you are, because you are feeling rejected, or alone, or unliked, repeat these words. Scream them if you must: I CAN’T BE EVERYONE’S CHICK-FIL-A SAUCE.

And then just keep on running the race God has set out before you. Run it hard. Run it good. Run it long. And run it in your very own style.”