Any Person, Any Story

Why every one of our stories is worthy

This article is part of the Claritas fall 2023 issue, Stages. Read the full print release here.

By: hannah wang

ACT I: UNWORTHY

Failure and rejection are, unfortunately, canon events. We’ve all been there—whether it’s from college applications, job and club applications, or personal relationships. At an academically competitive school like Cornell University, it sometimes feels as if failure and rejection are inevitable. An opinion article published by The Cornell Daily Sun in February 2022 discusses the ironic tension between Cornell’s “any person, any study” motto and the exclusivity of clubs at Cornell, stating,  “many of Cornell’s clubs place a premium on rejection rather than on gifting opportunities.” [1] Rejection is often experienced by students vying for selective clubs, extracurriculars, and internships. And even for students who are not applying for positions, it’s ordinary to feel out of place academically. Surrounded by so many smart and hard-working people, there is often a feeling of self-doubt that creeps into our minds. Am I good enough? Is there something I’m lacking that other people have? Am I worthy of being here?

These feelings of self-doubt and ineptitude often stem from comparing oneself to a specific standard, whether that standard is a person, a grade, or a percentile. The term “imposter syndrome” floats around, especially in the first few semesters of college, as new students must adjust and transition into a new and rigorous environment. Consistent efforts are made to address any lack of belonging in the Cornell community, as outlined in campus emails and Cornell’s “any person, any study” motto. But these good-intentioned efforts that emphasize individual belonging often fall flat. Since these efforts are meant for a massive body of students, they fail to address many of the various obstacles that get in the way of a true sense of belonging. At best, Cornell can know us through numbers, statistics, and surface-level achievements. Our morals and motivations, our humor and humanity, our inspirations and dreams—these aspects of ourselves cannot be fully understood by outward presentation. 

The only way to fully overcome feelings of inadequacy and loneliness is to find encouragement and purpose from someone who truly knows us best.

ACT II: KNOWN

Beneath the facade we show to others, God knows our thoughts, understands our feelings, and recognizes our struggles. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Before we were born, and even before this world was formed, God knew us. In Psalm 139, David praises God, writing, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb… my frame was not hidden from you… when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” [2] Like an artist with their artwork, God knows everything about His creation. He sees what others cannot. 

While we may often perceive our lives as “ordinary”, Jesus intentionally sought out people with ordinary lives, people who worked day by day just to earn enough to feed themselves and their families. The first three disciples Jesus called were fishermen: Simon Peter, James, and John. The day He appeared to them, the three men were unable to catch any fish. After He stepped onto their boat, however, they caught so many fish that their net started to tear. Upon seeing the miracle, the disciples realized the power of Jesus’ presence, as Simon Peter said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” [3] Jesus responds, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” [4] Despite not having met them before, Jesus seeks out the disciples and acknowledges their skills, inviting them to use their strengths for His plan. 

ACT III: CALLED, CHOSEN, & REDEEMED

Just like Jesus knows and loves the disciples, God knows and loves each of us so well, inviting us all to follow Him with the promise of eternal life and deliverance from sin. His compassionate invitation empowers us to seek Him deeper. 

God called me through my mother. Though I was not born into a Christian family and did not grow up surrounded by people who knew God, I was still able to come into contact with Christianity early on. In my last couple of years of elementary school, my parents’ relationship went through a rough patch, and my mother was encouraged to start going to church. She brought me and my brother along, despite our dismissal of religion as unimportant. I was caught up in the societal stigma of going to church being uncool. I didn’t realize it at that time, but I often felt lonely, whether at school or at home. I was afraid my brother and I wouldn’t be accepted into the community at church or be able to connect to the people there, as we weren’t Christian and had no reason to go. Fortunately, we were welcomed with so much love. I didn’t know it was possible for kids and their parents to be so kind, loving, and patient. My heart quickly became full of a love I had never known. It didn’t take me long until I knew that I, too, wanted to follow Christ and be welcomed into God’s family as His beloved child. 

The New Testament—the second portion of the Bible that records Jesus’ life and the teachings of Him and His apostles—is full of testimonies of different people being called and chosen. Let’s take Paul, who before converting to Christianity was referred to as Saul. Saul was known for persecuting and approving the killing of early Christians, men and women alike, furious that they were starting to turn from Jewish laws and traditions. He was adamantly against Christ and His followers and caused immense harm to Christ’s people in Jerusalem. On his way to arrest followers of Christ in the city of Damascus, a city located in modern-day Syria, Saul was stopped by Jesus. From heaven, a light shone down and a voice said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads… I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.” [5] 

A goad is a sharp stick-like object used for prodding cattle to get them to move. When Jesus says, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads,” He is comparing Saul to a cattle who goes against God’s prods in the right direction, causing harm to himself. Jesus sees that Saul, driven by sinful pride and hate, is refusing to believe Him. He sees that Saul has chosen a path that is “hard” and desires Saul’s eyes to be opened toward the truth. Throughout his rampage, Saul met people who demonstrated strong faith and dedication toward Jesus and still refused his calling over and over again. In the end, but only after being confronted by Jesus, Saul finally believed. [6] 

Nowadays, however, Jesus seldom shines light upon us and speaks out to us from the heavens. He called me through my mother, but there are so many other ways He might call someone. I encourage you to listen to the feelings and curiosities you may have toward Christianity and the Gospel. Perhaps something drew you to open and read the pages of this magazine, perhaps you came across a church or Christian community on campus, or perhaps someone you know just chose to devote their life to Christ. Any encounter you have with God’s creation, His love, or His words is reflective of His open invitation toward you, whom He loves. 

ACT IV: BLESSED

Despite being a source of fear for God’s people, Paul was still shown love and concern by Jesus, who had a plan for him. As Paul came face to face with the power and love of Jesus, his heart opened and he began to believe. Almost immediately after being saved by God, Paul began to powerfully proclaim to synagogues that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.

Sharing one’s story is difficult and intimidating. Can my testimony really bring someone to faith? Is it something that shows God’s goodness in the right way? Just as we can experience fear of rejection at Cornell, feelings of inadequacy slip in. Our stories can sometimes feel insignificant, but they aren’t. For a long time, I believed that my testimony was lackluster and dull, that it did not hold anything jaw-dropping or shocking. Recently at a retreat over fall break, I opened up to someone who shared a similar childhood experience with me and she prayed over me. I realized that I was comparing my story to other people’s; I believed that my story could not impact people and ignored the most central figure in my testimony: God. God chose me as one of His children; He saved me, He loves me, and He keeps me on this Earth knowing that I can live out and fulfill His plan for me. As I tell my story, I am also proclaiming the very real impact that God has on me. I am living evidence of God’s working grace and love. When Paul was reborn in Christ and started to tell his story and preach the Lord’s word to other people, others were shocked, for his conversion was miraculous. [7] Paul, once overcome by sin, was redeemed and became a witness of Jesus’ gracious love. Just like witnesses in court, we as witnesses of God have the responsibility to testify the truth of all that we’ve seen Him do.

It sometimes also feels as if we may not have enough knowledge or know what to say when speaking out on God’s word and spreading the gospel. While reliance on scripture and biblical knowledge is important and will season your words, lack of such should not prevent you from speaking of God’s goodness. In fact, Paul writes to the church of Corinth: “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” [8] Only knowing of Jesus and His crucifixion, Paul had faith in God’s power and Spirit to guide him while he spoke to people. He did not rely solely on his human wisdom, but also on God. 

God chooses us, saves us, blesses us, and guides us as we carry out His blessings to other people. Remember Jesus’ words: “You are the light of the world [...] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” [9]

ACT V: FINALE

If we return to Paul’s redemption story in the Book of Acts, we notice another key figure in Paul’s testimony. Ananias, one of Jesus’ disciples living in Damascus, was told to restore Paul’s sight and fill him with the Holy Spirit. At first, Ananias questioned God’s command knowing that Paul had come to Damascus intending to arrest and persecute more of God’s people. Having heard of Paul’s evil towards Christians, Ananias did not believe God could use Paul to do good to the world. Society is often this way, judging what can only be seen from the surface.  But God sees Paul’s potential when Ananias does not.

Even if you are deemed “unworthy” by your own standards or those of society, you are still loved and precious in God’s eyes. No number of rejected applications will defeat your worth as a person in God’s eyes because He does not measure worth by how many achievements or leadership positions you have on your resume, nor does He base His standards on how others are comparatively doing. He has seen you as worthy of His love from the beginning of your very existence, as demonstrated by  Jesus’ sacrificial love for us. Rather than looking at how we excel in class, God looks at how we carry out our lives in His image, loving and humbly serving the people around us. This isn’t to say that one shouldn’t prioritize their academic career or study hard. Rather, continue to work toward your goals while also carrying out God’s blessing. If God calls out and extends an invitation to a murderer, saving him and changing him so that he becomes a vessel of light for others, then imagine how much God embraces you and is calling to you too. As we come to listen to this calling and accept Jesus as our Savior, we are given a promise, a blessing unattainable from anyone or anywhere else. We know we can depend on God’s grace to deliver us from our sins and struggles. In response to His blessing upon us, we must also strive to be strong and reliable messengers who witness, testify, and proclaim His light to those cloaked in darkness. 

[1] Brenner Beard, “Any Person, Any Study, …Any Club?” Cornell Daily Sun. February 17, 2022. 

[2] Psalm 139: 13, 15 (NIV)

[3] Luke 5:8 (NIV)

[4] Luke 5:10 (NIV)

[5] Acts 26:14-16 (NIV)

[6] Acts 7:57-59

[7] Acts 9:21-22 (NIV)

[8] 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NIV)

[9] Matthew 5:14,16 (NIV)