Fearless To Be Ourselves

      Aristotle said, “To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” It seems that many people settle for this way of living in mediocrity instead of pursuing purpose. The book of Proverbs calls this type of thinking a snare, which is a trap for catching animals.  If you are afraid of failure or man’s criticism, do nothing, because if you do something, you will experience them both. 

    When we allow the opinion of others to become a motivating factor in our lives, we become captivated by their ways instead of the word of God.  One of the main reasons listed in Romans 12:1-2 for having our minds renewed is so we can walk in the will of God, which takes time and grows in stages.  If we are confused due to outside influences, we need to allow the word of God to dig deep into our hearts.  Confusion causes paralysis and double mindedness, which makes us unstable and unable to accomplish anything. 

     I want to end this post with a good example of someone letting their primary gifting be the motivation for what they do. My wife Genevieve has learned over the years not to be bound by the opinion of others and just be who she was created to be. I have had the privilege of watching this process.  I have watched her through her struggles to find herself and express herself the way God has made her. 

   We each have a primary motivational gift, although this does not mean we don’t have any other motivational gifts or any other gifts for that matter. Genevieve has a primary gift of giving, but one of her secondary gifting’s is teaching.  She has taught high school, middle school and elementary school students for over ten years.  Because her primary gifting is not teaching, she has had to work hard at organization, planning, classroom management, and presentation, which come easy for those with a primary teaching gift.  However, it is her gift of giving that makes her an excellent teacher. She weaves into her lessons, classes, and after-hour communications a gift of giving, which opens up her students and their parents to the love and care she extends to them by giving her time, communication, affection, and presents.  Her main motivation of giving makes her excel as a teacher.

     In ending, I want to share five simple principles, which apply to your life concerning your gifts: 

1. Discover your gifts:  To know your calling is to have purpose and know the direction you are going. The will of God is what matters in life, and once we have a glimpse into that, we can live life with purpose
2. Cultivate your gifts: To cultivate your calling, you will have to carefully remove the influences and people who seek to choke your calling.  Stay in an environment that is going to cause you to grow and not die (Mark 4:18-19).
3. Guard your gifts: Paul told Timothy to guard his God given potential (II Tim. 1:14).  Satan is constantly trying to use a multitude of circumstances, attitudes, things, and people to devour your calling.  You must be diligent to protect the gifts and calling of God on your life.   
4. Share your gifts: Your calling is given for the benefit of others and not you only. When we share our gifts, it not only blesses others but it increases our ability.  We grow by exercising our gifts.
5. Limit your gifts:  You cannot do everything.  You only have the potential to fulfill your particular calling. Be content to labor in the grace that you have been given.