David Lee Martin

There’s a job opening in the Kingdom that I think you should apply for.

It’s called “being yourself”.

Your CV is perfect for the position, and no one else can apply.

Yesterday I spoke about aspirational window shopping and the tendency to over-inflate the value we perceive in others, but fail to appreciate the contribution that we bring to the table.

I spent years like this.

I knew there was something incredible itching inside me to get out, but I allowed my fire to be quenched by comparison, envy, competition, false humility, pride, insecurity, fear and falsehoods.

What a confused mess!

Instead, lay aside your desire to be liked, recognised or noticed.

Lean your heart into Reality. He has already recognised and chosen you.

By Reality, I mean the One who calls Himself Truth.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth (Reality), and the life…” (John 14:6 KJV)

It’s here that you’ll find rest and discover something remarkable.

You already have all you need to succeed.

Hold others in high regard, but don’t place them on a pedestal. Respect the call, gifts, and anointing upon them, but don’t vie for their position or popularity.

The more comfortable and content you become with who you are and how you show up, the greater your ability to impact others.

Honestly, I have a small audience. My words are not splashed on newsstands, billboards and bestseller listings.

But they have found their way to your inbox.

For me, that’s a big win. You are important, your time is precious, and to know you’re reading this makes me proud that I didn’t stay silent.

You are far more capable than you give yourself credit for.

Don’t compare. Don’t compete.

Just do your best to be a blessing and let Papa take care of the outcomes.

Me and God have a good relationship.

He’s far less fickle than I am. Not at all, actually. He’s so set in His perfect ways, I can’t convince Him to bow to my reasons to stay silent and small.

And He’s relentlessly kind.

His opinion of me is higher than my own, despite my glaring and obvious flaws.

He sees a different picture and longs for me to view myself through His frame.

Like Gideon in the wine pit, I’ll often whine about my inadequacy.

To which He answers, “Mighty man of valour”.

Like Moses in the desert, I’ll protest that my voice is insignificant.

To which He replies, “Pick up your stick (mine’s a pencil) and set some captives free!”

Like Esther, I'll insist that I’m not invited into the room.

To which He replies, “Stand before kings, you were born for such a time as this.”

In the end, who am I to argue?

If He says I’m awesome the humblest response is to agree. Right?

I know who I am, in myself. I’m right in my flighty estimations and feeble self-esteem.

But this gig is no longer about me.

I’m hidden in Him!

The limits have been lifted. It’s no longer I that live, but Christ who lives within me.

You, my friend, are a masterpiece. Don’t doubt it!

Stand tall, and fearlessly show up without excuse.

Here in the UK, we tend to be a bit self-effacing. There’s a tendency to amplify our inadequacies and downplay our brilliance.

Maybe it’s the same the world over?

Top Shelf

It’s easy to place other people’s abilities on the top shelf. They are the luxury brands that have something magically unattainable by mere mortals such as ourselves.

Aspirational window shopping is rife. We’re the Oliver Twist kid longingly gazing through the bakery window, salivating at the glamorous lives of others, the smell of success wafting from the doorway filling our nostrils with the conflicting scent of inadequacy.

A harsh analogy, but not uncommon.

The Reduced Aisle

And when you consider your own personality and gifts?

Too often consigned to the “Reduced” aisle. The plain-packaged budget brand with little to bring to the table. Some may even consider themselves past their sell-by or best-before date.

We overestimate the value of others and underestimate the contributions we might bring.

The curse of comparison.

Most of us are like the rest of us

Here’s the thing.

Most of us feel this way.

Most people struggle with their self-worth.

Most people consider others who they follow to be discriminatorily endowed with brilliance, like these remarkable mortals were front of line when God was distributing awesomeness.

Truth?

Truth is, they just stepped into the bakery and learned by experimentation to make half-decent bread.

Instead of standing gazing through the pane, they put on their overalls and started to knead their ideas into something others could consume.

It took time, but with perseverance they found their voice.

Everything feels small and insignificant when you’re just starting out.

The silent droves of people NOT queuing up to read our book, watch your video, or listen to your podcast is deafeningly loud.

So we retreat and take these social signals (or lack of them), as confirmation that our contribution is worthless, or at least close to it.

We budget our brilliance and stop turning up.

Don’t do that!

We get one shot to live loud. One shot at this game. Be in it to win it.

You’re not competing, you’re contributing something that no one else can bring.

This is a long Scripture for a short thought, but worth a moment’s meditation:

“For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.

And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary…” (1 Corinthians 12:14–24 KJV)

Sure, I feel feeble sometimes. But according to God, I’m necessary.

Your voice and contribution is needed.

Don’t budget your brilliance.

Don’t consign your contribution to the bargain bin.

You have value. Your worth is inestimable.

And you’ll find your voice by using it, in whatever way fits with that magnificent personality of yours.

The most dangerous thought you’ll ever have is…

drumroll please

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… the second one.

Second-guessing your every move will cripple your progress.

When God speaks, move.

When ideas spark, act.

Paralysis by analysis isn’t a great look.

Stuck and stationary grows old quickly.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5–8 KJV)

Trust God’s leading, and trust yourself.

He is well able to steer a moving vehicle, or even hit the brakes if we veer in the wrong direction, but a life that’s parked waiting for the next drive-by miracle doesn’t go anywhere.

Make a move.

And enjoy the journey.

Every day is decision day.

Moment by moment, we’re deciding the direction we take in life.

Or not.

Cicero, the Roman philosopher, rightly said:

“More is lost by indecision than wrong decision”

Passivity is the biggest passion killer stalking the streets. The bane of productivity and prayer.

Developing strong “Do it” muscles is essential for a creative and spiritual life.

You strengthen that muscle pushing through resistance and fear. You do your reps pressing through insecurity and facing the need for change.

I was told that most people remain in the same cycles of indecision and dysfunction until the pain of staying the same becomes more than the pain of change.

I think that’s true.

I’m not advocating discontent and striving, merely pointing out that strong, positive, intentional decisions are almost always better than overthinking.

Just do it. Whatever “it” is for you right now.

Take a step. If you move with wisdom, sensitive to the leading of the Holy Ghost, you’ve got everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

Tomorrow, I’ll share the most dangerous thought you’ll ever have.

Selah.