Think a minute…When she was born in the European nation of Hungary in 1874, Kincsem did not look like a champion racehorse. In fact, she so lacked the strong features of a winner that her owner immediately sold her.
Kincsem became the new owner’s least valuable horse, so he put her in the smallest, darkest stall at the end of the stable. A few nights later a small gang of gypsies stole Kincsem. The thieves were caught and the horse returned to her owner. He asked the gypsy leader why they had chosen to steal Kincsem, since it had the lowest value of all his 59 beautiful racehorses? The gypsy chief answered: “Horses, like people, do not have to be beautiful to be great.”
Interestingly, Kincsem’s name means, My Fortune. Yet her size and features were not right for a race horse, especially her skinny hind legs. But in June of 1876, as a two-year-old she ran her first race…and won. No one was more surprised than her owner. Two weeks later she raced and won again!
Strangely, Kincsem started every race in last place. In those days they did not have starting gates, and she always stood lazily behind the starting line and did not begin running until the other horses were already racing down the track. Then she would shoot from the starting line, kick in to high gear, and pass them all to win!
Eventually, Kincsem was entered to run against the winner of the German Derby, Europe’s biggest horse race. Ten thousand people watched in wonder as this ugly, skinny mare beat bigger, stronger stallions. There had never been a champion like this before…nor since. Incredibly, Kincsem won every race she ran as a two-year-old, and also as a three-year-old! In fact, to our knowledge, no race horse in history has ever equaled Kincsem’s lifetime record. In 54 major races, she won every single race! This unwanted, skinny mare became the Queen of the Sport of Kings. One of the ugliest horses ever born became the greatest horse that ever lived with the most wins.
Maybe you have felt rejected or disrespected. But the One Who created you values you as His unique masterpiece who is as important as any other person in the world. Others may see what appear to be your seeming weaknesses, but He sees your special strengths. He loves you the way He made you. He does not want you to look like or be like anyone else. He designed you with your own special personality, abilities, and appearance. If you ask Him to take charge of your heart and character, Jesus will help you fully become the one-of-a-kind man or woman He made you to be. Just think a minute…