This article is inspired from Bro. Clair Sams who wrote a similar article for the Bible Methodist magazine. I could not find the same article online to post so I'm sharing on it here.
"You can be anything you want to be" is a statement often told to children. We adults often say it in order to encourage them to be striving for excellence and to encourage them away from feelings of inferiority and inadequacy. The motives are good.
Bro. Sams points out in his article that this statement may not be in line with reality however. He mentioned he could not be a professional baseball player even if he wanted to be. He doesn't have the ability to run fast or pitch well. If we're realistic, there simply are some people who will not make the team no matter how many hours they practice!
A more appropriate encouragement for children and for each other is, "You can be whatever God calls you to be!" The challenge should lie in surrendering our life plans to God and letting Him direct us and enable us into the calling we have. It may be a calling we can already see we have natural gifts for .....or it could be a calling we feel very inadequate for. It could be something we always wanted to do....or it could be something we have NEVER wanted to do!! The calling may be upfront and in the open or hidden in secret. It could bring us fame for a short while then cause us to lead a life in the shadows thereafter. It could be soon or it could be later.
But, when we wait on the Lord, we CAN do it through His power! Not only can we do it, but I believe we will receive great fulfillment in doing it! There will be joy in the doing and the surrendering.
As usual, the world has come up with an idea that sounds good, "You can be anything you want to be." and fallen short...and even twisted a truth that God has in mind for all His dear children. It's a glorious truth which should not be hidden - "We can be all God wants us to be" as we surrender and obey.
"You can be anything you want to be" is a statement often told to children. We adults often say it in order to encourage them to be striving for excellence and to encourage them away from feelings of inferiority and inadequacy. The motives are good.
Bro. Sams points out in his article that this statement may not be in line with reality however. He mentioned he could not be a professional baseball player even if he wanted to be. He doesn't have the ability to run fast or pitch well. If we're realistic, there simply are some people who will not make the team no matter how many hours they practice!
A more appropriate encouragement for children and for each other is, "You can be whatever God calls you to be!" The challenge should lie in surrendering our life plans to God and letting Him direct us and enable us into the calling we have. It may be a calling we can already see we have natural gifts for .....or it could be a calling we feel very inadequate for. It could be something we always wanted to do....or it could be something we have NEVER wanted to do!! The calling may be upfront and in the open or hidden in secret. It could bring us fame for a short while then cause us to lead a life in the shadows thereafter. It could be soon or it could be later.
But, when we wait on the Lord, we CAN do it through His power! Not only can we do it, but I believe we will receive great fulfillment in doing it! There will be joy in the doing and the surrendering.
As usual, the world has come up with an idea that sounds good, "You can be anything you want to be." and fallen short...and even twisted a truth that God has in mind for all His dear children. It's a glorious truth which should not be hidden - "We can be all God wants us to be" as we surrender and obey.
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