Second Rate someone else or #1 Best You?

Father God, Yahweh, Jehovah-Jireh,

I give thanks and praise to you for all you are doing in and through me.  My heart is filled with peace, joy and anticipation for what you have for me today.  With the authority, you have given to me, I speak to my eyes to be open to see, my ears that they may hear, my heart that it may receive and my mind to understand the insight you have for me today.  Thank you for your loving faithfulness.  In Yahweh, Jehovah-Jireh’s name, I pray.  Amen.

As I was studying today, I was re-reading Philippians 1.  This whole book is good; however today I want to focus on verses 9 and 10. 

Philippians 1:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

As I was reading this, the words “knowledge”, “discernment”, “sincere” and “offense” stood out to me.  I was in a recent group discussion regarding people being drawn to specific people in a group despite whether they were the appointed leader of the group or not.  It was interesting to hear the wide spread feelings that this type of situation brought up. 

• ·         Relieved that they were not the focal person
• ·         Supportive and encouraging to those seeking and the one they were drawn to, leader or not
• ·         Hurt they were not drawn to them even though they didn’t want the leadership responsibility
• ·         Wanted the leadership role and were hurt because the people weren’t drawn to them
• ·         The appointed leader and focused on giving their best in fulfilling their position    
• ·         Putting themselves down because they were not the one people were coming too

It was very enlightening the different perspectives that could be taken in just this one scenario.  Each one a different mindset.  It is so important that we take charge and control the thoughts of our mind and choose wisely. 

We are all on the same Kingdom building team.  We are NOT in competition with each other IF we are on the same team.  We were created out of love to love and worship our Creator so that our life testimony would draw others to know and Love Him too. 

It’s just like when playing basketball.  You have an area that is yours to play and defend.  The people that are brought in to your area are yours to care for, to run “offense or defense plays” depending on the circumstance.    It is our responsibility as a member of the team to be encouraging and supporting our teammates in their position.  When the “ball” is in our court and zone, then we are to be focused on taking control over the area/zone we have been placed in.  We cannot, as one person, be the whole team and cover the entire court and all the players.  When we try to play someone else’s position, we get in the way and come up second best.  Meanwhile, our given position is left exposed and comes up a complete loss.  However, if we know our position and focus on playing it well, then when the ball is not in our zone, we can be supporting our teammates by cheering them on, encouraging them, giving heads up warnings to help them, resting and renewing ourselves for when the action is in our zone, as well as accessing the overall situation and aiding in an overall win. 

Such is the same in our lives and ministries.  We cannot physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually do it ALL on our own.  Kingdom building takes a team which starts with Christ in us.  As a team, we are called to support, encourage, and hold accountable others on the Kingdom building team.  There are only two teams.  God’s team and Satan’s team.  When you are not playing your best for God’s team then there’s only the other team to benefit and prosper from your efforts or lack of efforts.  When we see someone else shining in being their best “them” in the position they are in … It’s the time to be encouraging and supportive of them.   It is not a time to become jealous of them or try to run interference and replace them.  That’s the enemy’s tactic to try to bring confusion.  When you compare, and try to be someone else, you will always be a second rate them.  However, you will always be the best and #1 you when you are focused on what you are called to be/do.  And when you are a team player and edify others on your team when the “ball” is in their court … everyone wins.

 

When you find yourself tempted to compare, yearning to be in the position that someone else is in … Take NO OFFENSE (annoyance, anger, resentment, jealousy, irritation, etc) ... get your eyes back on God and focus on what He has put the desires in your heart and called you to do.  No one purposefully strives and invests times and energy into being second rate … unless they are lost in knowing who and what they are.  Put your time and energy in to KNOWING and BEING the best “YOU”, you can BE.  No one else can be a better you than ... YOU! 

   

Today I challenge you: 

•  What are you called to do?  What are the desires that God created in your heart?  Are you keeping your focus, energy and time invested in being the best YOU He created you to be? 
•  Who have you been blessed with to link arms with, to help support and encourage them in their God created and purposed position?  Are you a help or a hindrance? 

I leave you pondering these things in your own life.  May you be filled with a Christ perspective and energized to know and see yourself as God created you and to be the #1 YOU that only you can be. 

It is written that we shall OVER come by the Blood of the Lamb and the Words of our testimony.  The Blood of the Lamb has already been shed.  It’s the Words of our testimony that we are living today and responsible for.  So … what’s the WORDS of your testimony?  We welcome comments on how you are an OVERcomer and a DOer. 

Ultimate blessings!

It is our desire for you to KNOW God, to share His Word with you but also to share our lives with you in love.  We welcome getting to know you and to be able to love you where you are.  We are honored to support you on your journey to get from where you are to where you want to be.