The stereotypical profile of an "only" depicts a spoiled, pampered, self-centered, insecure, socially maladapted, useless complainer. Heaven help the people who marry "onlies." They tend to be finicky eaters; they never pick up after themselves and they demand total jurisdiction over the television remote control device. They lack social skills and never amount to anything unless they conduct research for pharmaceutical companies in remote laboratories high in the Himalayas. Not too many "onlies" receive scientific research assignments. We're too dumb.

At least that's what folks believe who subscribe to the G. Stanley Hall theory of social and psychological development in only children. Toni Falbo and Denise Polit, University of Texas researchers, recently reported the results of data which basically says that G. Stanley's brain turned to mush when he trashed "onlies."

According to this recent research, only children score marks equal to firstborns in intelligence and achievement and as a class of people we score higher than firstborns and later borns when the tests measure leadership ability and maturity.

I didn't choose to be an only child and if I had been in charge of populating the world, I would have arranged siblings for myself. But I'm not a recluse and I'm not totally lacking in social skills even though my wife claims to have taught me most of the ones I know. Actually, today's only child grows up with other children in all kinds of circumstances - day care, pre-school, baseball teams, youth camps, etc. The number of children in a family doesn't seem to matter that much, but parental nurturing does. B. G. Rosenberg, ( University of California at Berkeley) claims well adapted only children are "assertive, poised and gregarious." Now I can come out of the closet and publicly admit that I'm an only.

This isn't surprising to people who take the Bible seriously. Isaac was an only child (at least insofar as his mother was concerned) and he is remembered as one of Israel's great patriarchs. John the Baptist was an "only." That's pretty good company to be in.

Every minority under the sun has demanded and received favored status just for being a part of a minority. "Onlies" really don't want favored treatment, but we would like to be regarded as normal folk.

P. S. It really doesn't matter whether you were an only child or if you were raised with a dozen siblings. Each and every person who comes into this world is made in the image of God. We all possess the seeds of immorality and we all come here with an opportunity to be blessed by the Creator of the Universe.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.: (John 3:16 NIV).

NEXT WEEK'S OUTLINE: "Enemies of the Family"