Leading as God intended

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb,

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Ps 139: 13-14

Do you really believe that the Lord made you who you are?  Do you believe that He composed your soul and personality right alongside your body while you were in your mother's womb?

I think many sincere folks doubt that the Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He put us together.  We look at our sin tendencies and our hang-ups, and we wonder how God could use us.  We are so _____ (fill in the blank).  We might be cautious or aggressive; thoughtful or spontaneous; or quiet or outgoing.  We make so many mistakes!  How could God use us like we are?

It is so much easier to see what holds us back instead of how 

God could and will use us as He made us.  

Today I wish to focus our thoughts on leadership and how God uses our strengths to lead His people.  God did not make a mistake when He made you like you are.  He did not make a mistake with any of us.

We are all so different.  We all have different strengths, gifts, experience, and natural abilities.  I think all of us would agree to these statements.

The problem is that most of us can intellectually acknowledge these "facts" but then we look at our issues, hangups, addictions, tendencies, etc., and these cause us to shrink back from using our strengths to lead ourself and others.

What if our weaknesses were not a problem but instead an opportunity for us to work with others who have different strengths?  What if our weaknesses were God's way of working inner humility within us and outer love for others?

In other words, God puts us together as the "body of Christ."  All of us are needed.  All of us have different roles and functions.  If you or I do not use our God-given strengths, the body of Christ will be weak.  If we all work together, the body of Christ will be strong.

Our responsibility before God is to develop our strengths and confess our weakness.  Our weaknesses promote our humility and our reliance upon God and others.  Our strengths promote God's action and work in the world.

Perhaps the greatest irony is that both our strengths and our weaknesses illustrate the gospel when we bring them to the light.

This post has more questions than answers.  I ask you to reflect upon them.  I also ask that you stop listening to those voices, even those what are supposedly well-intentioned, that constantly tell you to be different so God can use you.  God did not make a mistake when He made you.  He knew exactly what He was doing.

In Christ, honestly confess your sin.  In Christ, honestly lead from your strengths.