There is a prompting in all our hearts to live a life of adventure this side of eternity. A most satisfying opportunity exists for those who can direct their personal call, gifts and strengths to reflect and respond to the glory of our Creator.
A consequence of the Fall is that most people are not aware of what their true giftedness is and have only a vague awareness of what their real contribution can be in the world they live. Further those who do become aware of their strengths face the challenge to steward them in a broken world where everything leans towards ‘self’ rather than the Community or Kingdom of God.
Anyone ever taken that Strength Finder 2.0 test? It’s quite interesting and worth the time. “Woo” came up as my top strength? Woo… what they heck is ‘woo’!? Well turns out it relates to ones ability to meet, connect and win over new people. This means you can throw me into whatever environment and I should be able to find my way just fine. I will say though this strength of mine has not yet been tested in the presence of terrorists or around people who like country music.
There are several challenged with the gift of ‘Woo’. Sometimes in my quest to win people over I gravitate toward the more influential or established in the room while overlooking the ‘least of these’. It makes us feel good to be in with the cool crowd and builds our self-esteem but Jesus is so about us spending time and energy with those that get lost in the crowd.
Seems everything good has an edge to it this side of eternity. There is valid reason why we are told to take up our cross daily. The cross brings us back to dependance and humility and the surrender of not only the bad but also the good in us which can so easily become corrupted. The enemy is all about perversion. He takes a good thing and distorts it.
I’ve found it valuable to make intentional time to learn about who God has made me and then to strive towards living out of that revelation. Recognition of the perversions of my strengths and sharing those with others like I have done today keeps them in check and disarmed from doing unnecessary damage.
May we always be continuing to fall forward and upward in our quest to live lives that reflect the glory of God.
for more from this wise and deep-thinking man, check out his blog Sit On The Porch over here
to read the EMPATHY Strength Weakness story of my friend Tshego go here
Irresistibly Fish 