Strange isn't it? A call to be yourself? Who else would one be? The answer might surprise you. Due to a great lack of confidence in Jesus, I know of many (including myself at one point) who estimate they are not good enough to serve the way they are. Traps, then, are set at many turns. We try to mimic some or imitate others. Worse, we find ourselves as human puppets dancing to a stronger personality's assorted whims. I've bounced around in both camps. This isn't God's design.
No one you can imitate does perfect work. Only Jesus. No one who wishes to dominate has superior gifts. Only the Spirit hands those out. Therefore, stop the insanity of trying to be someone you are not. You and the Spirit are enough.
One of my great friends is Marvin Phillips. He is a strong-willed personality. From the time we began working closely 30 years ago, I determined that as truly great as this man was I would not buckle to any pressures to think like him or to minister like him. He wouldn't have wanted it to be any differently, but my insecurity could easily have let such be the case. I did try to preach like him, but couldn't. No one can because he's Marvin; I'm not.
While he's an amazing icon, he's also very much a flawed man. He'd confirm such. Now I use Marvin's name as he's quite well known. Any other name can be used. Any. Your name could be inserted by others who feel they are not enough and if they could just be like you, life would take a bow.
Jesus is the one. Don't gum up your ministry with infatuation of another servant. We are all a mess except for the graceful flow of the Spirit of Christ. Trust God's opinion; you are enough. And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God (II Cor. 3:4-5).
3 comments:
Good stuff!
Thanks for being you!
Love you much!!!
I once said to somebody "I want to be just like you"
I loved everything about them! I saw no flaws, yet, I knew in my heart that they probably had as many as I did....just did a better job at hiding them. Life went on and this person later didn't turn out to be such a great person after all getting involved in many bad things.
I finally changed that and said..."I want to be just like me" cause that is all I can be. We can try to immitate a certain personality, an actor, a singer, or someone we admire, but overall, we will always be what God created us to be.
I want to be "HIS Image" and not someone elses. In my daily routine, I want to reflect Him. When I sing, I want others to hear His praises. When I talk, I want others to hear His words.
I have many heros in life. Many people that I look up to. But overall, when others see me, I want them to see Jesus in me and know that I was only created in His image...and not trying to be someone that I am not.
He should be the one that they see...when they see me!
And that hero stuff...yeah...you're top of my list! Love ya!
While we can always have folks we look up to, we can never really be anyone but ourselves. Striving to be or maintain something we are not can be very tiresome. I realized a long time ago, if people were going to like to me, they were go to have to like me warts. Because although there are several people I look up to, I can only be me. Like the old saying goes, God made me and he doesn't make junk. I love you for being one of those that I can look up to. You are a blessing and a wonderful man of God.
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