I took a look at the themes in the movie Wonder this weekend at church! If you’ve seen it, you know that the main character (Auggie) struggles to fit in. He is born with mandibulofacial dysostis (Treacher Collins Syndrome), which affects facial tissues and bone development. Before starting the fifth grade, he goes through 27 surgeries to help him see, breathe, hear without a hearing aid, and look different. This movie moves people of all ages because it’s so relatable. We all have things we’re insecure about.
Have you ever used your clothes, makeup, or even possession to cover up something you don’t like about yourself? Here’s what the Bible has to say about Auggie and about you: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV). God knew exactly what He was doing when He made you and has an extraordinary calling on your life.
I love the scene in the movie where Auggie is being dropped off at school. He has been homeschooled his whole life, so attending school is scary for him. His sister leans down and says, “Can you hear me? If they stare, let them stare. You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.” YOU were born to stand out and make a difference in this world. Everyone is unique, and you shouldn’t be afraid to be different.
Auggie’s mom shows him her “stress wrinkles,” trying to make the point that we all have scars. “We all have marks on our face. I have this wrinkle here from your first surgery, and I have these wrinkles here from your last surgery. This is the map that shows us where we’re going.” When you’re tempted to be embarrassed by your scars the way Auggie is embarrassed by his, remember that God made you and loves you the way you are. You are not ordinary but extraordinary!