We’ve defined excellence as doing the absolute best you can with what you have. Yesterday we looked at that first part – “doing the absolute best you can”. Today lets hit that second part – “with what you have.”
What has God given you? What’s in your hand? It’s easy to think about what we don’t have, what we wish we had. But you and I are not responsible for what we don’t have. Sometimes we’re trying to use what other people have given us. I love the story of David when he was going out to fight Goliath. King Saul offered to let David use his own armor. The Message frames it up really cool…
I Samuel 17:39-40 - David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off. Then David took his shepherd’s staff…
I love how he said it here, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me.” Then he grabbed what he knew, what he could work with – his faithful shepherd’s staff. Sometimes we’re trying to move forward with the wrong “stuff.” It’s pretty containing and limiting and suffocating when we’re trying to be something or someone we’re not. And the great thing is, God wants to use and bless what you have. God used David’s shepherd “stuff” to defeat Goliath. And God will use your “stuff” to defeat the giants in your life. Come on, I’m preaching now.
Use your gift. Go with your flow. Run with your style. Use what’s in your hand!
What would have happened had Saul stopped David out of fear of embarrassment or failure? This was like sending someone into a battle in Fallujah with a bow and arrow.
Sometimes it’s hard to delegate a task and let go b/c others might approach the task with totally different “stuff”.
I would rather delegate a task to someone with a heart like David, than to some one with all the right stuff and a get-by attitude.