Is it just me, or does seems like there’s an entertainment award show every Sunday night! There’s movies, TV, music genre’s, kids, sports, and multiple awards banquets for each one. If you’ve ever watched one of those shows, then you’ve heard some famous actor or singer tell everyone to never give up on their dreams and to pursue their future (they mean fame) at all cost. Well, of course, that’s easy for them to say, since it worked out in their situation.
Being in radio for so many years, there’s no shortage of people who have approached me saying it’s their dream or their destiny to be a singer, or a radio host, or some other high-profile position. Yet, they are horrible singers or they can’t interview someone, or whatever the job requires. See, we can dream all that we want, but if we aren’t gifted in that area, the dream is a lie…perhaps perpetuated by well-meaning people around us. It even happens in the Christian book industry and with events and speakers. I heard one speaker encouraging people to “just jump,” to launch out from that boring job and go after your dream, you only have one life to live after all. Ok, got it, but here’s the problem. What if the person in the audience doesn’t have the skill set, talent, drive, ability, or giftedness, to jump? What if the best option for that individual is to be whom God has designed them to be right in the context of a secure job? What if jumping, will kill you?
The problem is getting worse. People post tons of selfies on social media, so that others will affirm them and tell them how wonderful they are. We tend to create our own little worlds of mutual fandom, so that we all feel like we are something big and special (per our terms of special). In social media, we become big-time in our own world and we begin to develop inaccurate self-assessments of who we truly are and who God has made us to be. See, God has made each of us unique and has given us special roles to play. For some, that means a big stage to use for His glory, for others, it means that we honor Him by going to work every day and being a great employee.
God’s Word says that you are wonderfully made, that God designed you before there was a you, and that he has made you to glorify Him. Any stage that you do, or don’t, have is clearly up to Him and He will exalt you in due time. Jesus said that He will invite you to the seat of honor at the table, but trying to get there yourself will end in embarrassment. So, follow God with all that you have right where you are. If He has called you to jump to something different, begin to understand that calling by growing closer to Him through Bible study, through deep prayer, and through godly and level-headed counsel. Seek to make Jesus famous and He will direct your steps. Wait for God.
