19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
Genesis 50:19
This has got to be said and becomes crucial for us to remember when trying to bring out the best in those around us – Christ is their personal best. In other words, if you truly desire to see those around you achieve their personal potential in life, in ministry, and on their journey, then you and I have got to get them to draw closer in their relationship with the Lord.
Our society today has become so good at displaying those who have led well to the rest of the world in the hopes that they may become more like them: people like Steve Jobs and Churchill for example. While these were great men in their personal fields, they are still just men and no matter how much you and I try and strive to be exactly like them, we will never be them. This is not who God made us to be.
The only way we will ever become an individual person, reaching our personal best, is for us to find ourselves walking personally with the Lord Himself. As has been said so many times before, He knows us and the purposes for which He had destined us. No matter how much you try and strive to be like someone, no matter how great they are, you are still you – an individual with a specific set of skills.
Yes… make no mistake there is wisdom in learning from those around us, as there might be one or two things that we can glean from their lives that will help us on our own, but to become exactly like them is not on your cards – unless that person thinks, talks, reasons and acts exactly like Jesus.
Jesus is the model to which we all should strive to be like; the only model we should strive to be like.
It’s rather strange to think that even in becoming more like Him, you end up finding your personal self – your personal best. If you wish to really see those around you become the person you are able to see them become, you have to find ways of helping them draw closer to the Lord on their journey.
I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to be walking with the Lord. While many around me might get frustrated with me not reaching the standard they wish me to be at, or to reason and go about life the way they might, Christ knows exactly who I am and with Him I find myself exactly where he wants me to be.
No man can ever take this away. As long as I know that I am where the Lord wishes me to be, I know that I am displaying my personal best to all those around me. There is tremendous comfort and peace in knowing this. As long as I have the thumbs up from my Lord and Saviour, I know I am doing well.
Who’s approval are you more concerned about when trying to see those around you reach their best, yours or God’s? While we might want to say God, we tend to push others to get ours.
Let us be careful not to make others find their approval from us, but rather find it with the Lord. As long as they do that, we can rest assured that they will fulfil the mandate and personal best the Lord has placed within their being.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father. Time and time again I am reminded that I find my being in You. While you do place men and women around us, help me to never force people to take their eyes off of You and place them on me. I want to be a disciple maker – Your disciples. Help me in this I pray in Jesus name. Amen.