My Name is Jewel. You know who I am. I attend Summit High. Formerly known as Freshman Class President. To you I am, “Straight forward, outgoing and arrogant. I am a typical teen full of attitude and ‘spunk.’” I am “Every English teachers’ favorite student.” I can “Only be talked to when I feel talking.” I am, “The smart girl in all honor classes.” Unlike most of your friends I tell you what I really think.—I am Jewel. Perceived as, “All together, all the time.” Wow, thanks. But you’ve got the wrong perception.

My name is Jewel. I attend Summit High. Formerly know as Freshman Class Co- President. ‘Formerly’ comes in because, believe it or not I wasn’t (and still am not) “All together all the time.” All classes that I am enrolled in are regular education classes. No, I do not take any honor classes. I am a teenager, therefore, yup; I consist of tons of attitude. I care about my friends as if they were my own blood related relatives. I tell them what I really think. I’m not really outgoing. I often have trouble stepping out and showing you what I’m really like. I’m not conceited. If anything I put up a front of arrogance only to show my lofty self image.

When beginning to write this, I had to ask a group of diverse people a question; What they thought of me, when first meeting me. (All of their answers, with the exception of a few, were in the first paragraph.) The group consisted of acquaintances and friends from school; Teachers, Youth Pastors, believers and non believers. Just to give you an idea of the broad responses I received.

When it all came down to it, I was surprised. Not about what anyone said, but what they didn’t. You see, being a Christian we should strive to be different. In asking the group of people, not one of them said they thought I was different, diverse or that I stood out from everyone else.

1 John 3:1 says, “ 1 how great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

I’ve learned that in order for the world to see Jesus in us, we must first find ourselves in him. We need to realize that by God’s lavishing, wonderful love, we are his children. “And that is what we are!”

When people think of you wouldn’t you like them to think of you being different, which could ultimately cause them to stand out and be different?

One person’s opinion that I didn’t include was Moriah Smith’s. Here’s what she had to say.

“I first want to say I admire your strength to be able to request the truth.

When you first started coming to our meetings I could see physically that you had a strong faith. I think it's really cool, and definitely something I admire, that your faith is visual. My perceptions of you were and still are of a girl that just wants to know God. That seems like the most simple of things to ask but when you seek God you will definitely find him.”

Although I was truly amazed at what Moriah had to say, I was not happy. The reason for my unhappiness came from the realization that Moriah only sees me in a place of comfort—which is Christian Club.

I want to encourage you to be different. Even though it may be hard, and trust me, it will be…strive to be Christ like.