On this day in 1938, the first copy was made on a Xerox® machine.

That first copy must not have been very good, because copiers weren’t used much until about 40 years later. Then for many years Xerox was the only company known for copiers. That’s why people will often say, “I’ll make a Xerox” when talking about making a photocopy of something. These days many companies make great copiers of all types. In fact, copiers have become so common that we can’t remember life without them.

Others have been talking about copies—scientists. You’ve probably heard of cloning. That’s the process of making an exact copy of a plant or animal. Some of these scientists are even talking about cloning humans. So far that’s illegal. Hopefully it’ll stay that way.

Even if scientists could “copy” human beings, however, no one could make another you. When God made you, he made a one-of-a-kind, unique model. No one else, not even an identical twin, has your exact combination of physical characteristics, personality, talents, likes and dislikes, abilities, personal history, and so forth. No one else has the same future either.

And here’s the best news of all: God loves you just as you are—the way he made you. In other words, you don’t have to change your looks, your personality, or anything else about yourself to please him. It doesn’t mean everything you think and do is OK. God wants us to have the right attitudes and actions to obey him. But you’re not a clone; you’re a “masterpiece” (see today’s verse). Remember that when you’re feeling lost in the crowd.

God has a great future in store for you. And there will never be another you!

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10).

To Do

Ask your mom or dad how he or she has seen you change for the better as you have grown older. Then thank God for making you unique and for his continuing work in you.

Also on this day

This is National Color Day.

This is National Nut Day.

1746—Princeton University was founded.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.