In my twenties and thirties, it was said to me often, "George, you have tremendous potential." I don't hear that my now that I am 49. The forties bring false thoughts that you have "arrived". You have it all together. You have reached your God-given potential. There's no more room to grow. You've done all that you can. There is a real temptation to stop growing spiritually, mentally and in the workplace.
Not true!
Let me give you a quote: "The saddest thing in the world is wasted talent."
Too many of us are guilty of this—we live beneath our talent. We settle for accomplishing a little instead of a lot.
For example, there are people with a great story to tell—but they will not write.
And there are people with fantastic leadership skills who will not pursue opportunities to lead.
And there are people with bright business minds who will not risk self-employment.
And people blessed with musical ability who won't get in front of an audience.
What holds people back? I've heard every possible excuse, some of them coming from my own mouth.
Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's laziness. Maybe it's lack of self-confidence. I don't know what it is that holds back, but I know what it isn't: it's not the voice of God.
He is NOT the one who says, "Keep your talent to yourself. After all, you're just an average person; what makes you think you can succeed? What makes you think you be a leader?"
God's method has always been to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
He used the son of a slave to lead God's people to freedom; he used a shepherd boy to defeat a powerful giant; he used a man in exile to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
And he can use you!
Don't live beneath the level of your talent. Ask yourself this week: "What am I good at doing that I am not doing? What talent have I not yet put to use?" Look for opportunities to do the things you do well. Put your skills to work.
Paul said in Romans 12:6-8
"God has given each of the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If you gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."
For those of us in our late forties....let's keep on growing...let's not stop growing until we are with Jesus!
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I just recently watched a Nooma video titled "Trees" in which the person (a very popular pastor, Rob Bell, from Grand Rapids) talks about not just waiting and hoping for the arrival of Jesus but living each day the way that Jesus would want us to live--reaching out to people and helping them attain their goals and their place in the kingdom. That's exactly what we start to do when we get older, at least some of us do, is that we start looking for the end before we've even really started the story. I don't know about you, but most books I read really start to get good about the middle and push with ever mounting excitement toward the end, or climactic moment. That's what we should be doing as well. We're like those books and we should be building with excitement, not looking for the ending but working to make the ending what God wants it to be!
As a side note, I don't know if you've seen any of these Nooma videos but they are excellent... they take about 10-13 minutes and really give an impactful video presentation of God's wisdom and love. I have the whole series (ten videos at this point but they're still making more) so let me know if you'd like to see one (or more)...though they might fly out like birds once people start to see them--they are that good. These are the videos that we are starting our small group with every week to prompt discussion over dinner and after so some of them might be taken by the time you ask for them...but don't let that stop you from asking!! Ask and ye shall receive...let's all try to walk a little more like Jesus every day!
God bless
Jon
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