This past Sunday was The Oscars. For so many people, they watch the show growing up longing to hear those famous words from the stage, “…and the Oscar goes to…” When winning an Oscar, it can be a life defining moment. Something that changes the entire course of your life. But you, nor I, am likely to ever win one. Despite night being a huge movie fan, or a big watcher of short films, I did have one drastic takeaway from Sunday night.
Graham Moore, who won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay made an incredible speech as he accepted. Now, I don’t agree with everything he says and does, but this speech was great. Moore said, “Alan Turing never got to stand on a stage like this and look out on all these disconcertingly attractive faces. And I do. And that’s the most unfair thing I think I’ve ever heard. And so in this brief time here what I want to use it to do is say this. When I was 16 years old I tried to kill myself, because I felt weird, and I felt different, and I felt like I did not belong. And now I’m standing here. And so I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she’s weird or she’s different or she doesn’t fit in anywhere: Yes you do. I promise you do. Stay weird, and then when it’s your turn, and you are the one standing on this stage, please pass this message one.”
Graham could have and wanted to end his life because he didn’t fit in or because he was weird. That thought process is the in the minds of too many people. As I’ve dealt with people throughout church life, I’ve met so many that felt different and like they don’t belong, especially people in my generation.
The world needs people that don’t match up to the status quo. We need people that think differently than we do. I believe it to be true because one of the “weirdest” people in the Bible did some of the greatest feats.
In Mark chapter 1, we read about a guy named John the Baptist. He was far more weird that anyone else those people had seen. He lived in the wilderness, ate locusts and honey, and his clothes were made of camel hair. He was weird in every definition of the word.
John never allowed it to define his life for the bad. He continued to be him, even when he was with Jesus! If John can be himself in the presence of Jesus, you can be you in the presence of your peers.
As say all that to say this…BE WEIRD. BE YOU. There is no one else that can be you. You’re the only one that gets to be you. Don’t let not fitting in keep you from being a true you. If someone calls you weird, take it as a compliment.
David Urzi 