In his book, The Element, Sir Ken Robinson tells a story about a 6-year-old boy named Bart who loved to walk on his hands. No one knew why, but it was so easy for him that people said he could walk as easily on his hands as on his feet.
His classmates often asked him to demonstrate his trick, and each time he happily popped into a handstand and began walking around on his hands. Eventually Bart could even walk up and down the stairs on his hands—and he loved it.
One day, Bart’s physical education teacher got permission from his parents to take him on a field trip to a fully-equipped training center for gymnastics. As he walked in, Bart was amazed.
In the book, Sir Ken Robinson writes:
He’d never seen anything so wondrous in his life. There were ropes, parallel bars, trapezes, ladders, trampolines, hurdles—all kinds of things upon which he could climb, cavort, and swing. It was like visiting Santa’s workshop and Disneyland at the same time. It was the ideal place for him. His life turned in that moment. Suddenly his innate skills were good for something more than amusing himself and others.
In the years that followed Bart Conner trained hard, and in 1976 he became a household name in the Montreal Olympics as a gymnast for the United States. He also represented the United States in 1980 and 1984. Bart became the most decorated male American gymnast in history, and was inducted into every major Hall of Fame for his sport.
Maybe it seems like a huge disconnect between gymnastics and glorifying God, but any career can be leveraged to lift Him up. A first step is identifying what you love to do.
I recently heard a story of a professional golfer who leverages his time on the green as an evangelist to fulfill God’s purposes in the world. He strategically writes scriptures on his golf balls so that when other golfers retrieve them, they often notice the scripture and make a comment. This provides him with an open door to talk about His Lord. He has turned golf into an evangelism tool. Not only is this man doing what he loves to do, he is combining it with His love for His Savior. In this there is no greater fulfillment.
Can you imagine what even greater things this man could do for God if he taught other golfers to do the same? What if he started a nationwide club for golfers interested in sharing the gospel? God can use every passion, every talent, and every skill for His kingdom. He won’t waste a thing if we will give Him everything.
Here are some good questions to get you thinking about your skills and talents (and how you can glorify God).
Are you. . .
- Athletic?
- Analytical?
- A strategic thinker?
- Good at building things?
- Skilled in math and science?
- Strong in language and verbal skills?
- Are you a “big-picture” person or do you like project details?
- Are you an articulate speaker?
- Can you make people laugh?
- Do you play a musical instrument well?
- Can you paint?
- Do you like large crowds or small groups?
- Do you prefer to network at a large party or would you prefer to have a personal conversation in a coffee shop?
- What can you do well with little effort that others have to struggle or expend large amounts of energy to do?
- Do your friends call on you in times of trouble to provide insight?
- Do people seek you out to have fun?
- To talk?
- To make a business decision?
- To grieve over the loss of a loved one?
- To help them with their kids?
- At what times do people want your involvement?
These questions can help point you toward your God-given mission (which will help you make Him famous.)
