On Opportunities Shoulders

I spent a lot of time in Florida thinking about where about where my friends, efforts, talents, work, luck and blessed situation have me now.

Importantly, thinking about what obligation that creates in me to move those things forward in a successful manner.

I am not who I am because of hard work.  I am not who I am simply because I deserve what I have, or I've made myself into something.  Who I am is unique, but comes from opportunities uniquely given.  As far as I'll be concerned the rest of this post, I'll be debating how i've begun and hope to continue to establish myself as a reliable and trustworthy teacher of God's Word.

Most of the reasons I feel comfortable teaching and have done so effectively come from outside of myself.  Things I wouldn't ever change.  I can't think of many people who went to college with the freedom to pour all of themself into that experience (read: play soccer without a job, and for the rest of the year, live without a job while classes were in session) and still graduate debt free.  Even countless few who got to do the same thing with a Master's program.

The generosity and sacrifice of my parents and wife allowed me an opportunity to study God's Word and my calling that few ever get to do with so little pressure.  I wouldn't be able to teach as effectively had I not had those educational experiences.

Had I not been given chances, encouraged, supported and believed in through internships and first jobs that were granted with no experience, I never would have grown confidence and may have given up with being on stage a long time ago.

Had I not been given a mind for remembering things, ordering things, and delivering things in a logical manner, I wouldn't have been able to produce teachings that felt to me like they were authentically mine.

Had I grown up with someone else's faith forced down my throat, been drug to church, been ridiculed and shamed before finding God on my own, my understanding of Him would have been shaded.

Instead, I get to speak of the God I love because I choose to love Him, because He chooses to love me.  I get to teach a faith that is my own, not one passed down to me from a tradition.  Those traditions are important, but I couldn't ever teach a tradition, I just want to teach God's Word and have been able to do that as it has formed me more than tradition has.

My hope is that I can put in the hard work that matches.  That I can take the giftings, fortunate circumstances, luck, support, generosity and opportunities placed before me and work with due diligence to be what God has called me to be.  To find myself reliable and trustworthy with how I teach His words and speak on His behalf.