Have you heard the manager’s mantra? People don’t change that much. Don’t waste time trying to put in what was left out. Try to draw out what was left in. That’s hard enough. [1]
In their book, First Break All The Rules, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman share their findings from a Gallup survey of one million workers, 80,000 managers and 400 companies. Their message is loud and clear: Don’t try to be something you’re not. Play to your strengths! This is a principle God has been advocating for years. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman Christians of the first century, he reminded them to give their best energy toward sharpening the gifts God had given them.
God has given each of us 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 your 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. (Romans 12:6-8 NLT)
Too often we are challenged to improve our weaknesses, broaden our competencies, and expand our experiences. The advice is well intentioned, but it often leaves us little time to put on a stellar performance in our primary talent and gift areas. That is a mistake.
Can you imagine the results if home run slugger Albert Pujols neglected his power game to focus on base stealing? What would have happened if Mother Teresa got caught up in administrative bureaucracy rather than soothe the pains of the dying? If we want to do our very best for God where we work and in our service to his church, we must play to our strengths!
FOCAL POINT: Evaluate your life. What is one thing you do really well? What could you do today and each day this week to take that talent or gift to a higher level? Ask God for his help to do just that.
Copyright © 2010 Tommy Kiedis
[1] Marcus Buckingham (1999), First Break All The Rules, p. 79.