Guest Column 9: Fearfully and wonderfully made

Fingerprint and facial recognition to unlock laptops and mobile devices might seem old news. However, I was amazed when I read about Pizza Hut’s recent “Your Mood, Your Pizza” campaign, launched in select restaurants in Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai. Pizza Hut became the first Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) brand to use an AI-powered mood detector in a way that reads customers’ moods to help guide their pizza choices.

Many retail stores are already using facial recognition technology for product-choice analytics and security. As you know, when we show interest in something, social media’s commercial AI seems to catch on immediately, and surrounds us with choices, ads, and news. AI is becoming an integral part of our daily lives.

I’m reminded of the verse in Psalm 139:14: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” My Creator has made me with such unique physical and psychological traits that no one can clone me. It’s fascinating and humbling to know He knows me so intimately that I can’t hide anything from Him. Psalm 139 beautifully captures God’s deep knowledge of us, from conception to beyond. He chose each of us even before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4).

And this isn’t about me alone; every individual I meet is unique, inviting me to approach others with empathy and compassion. Everyone has their perspective and worldview, which can help me understand their thoughts and actions, even when I disagree.

Psalm 139:14 calls me to show gratitude and self-acceptance. It’s an invitation to honour my God-given worth and to respect the worth of others. Embracing this truth allows me to meet daily challenges confidently, knowing I was created with love, purpose, and intentionality.

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Jacob C. Varghese is an independent communication specialist in the non-profit sector with over two decades of experience in senior management positions with U.S. government agencies in India. For the past 33 years, Jacob and his wife Anila have been active members of the Anna Nagar Methodist Church in Chennai.