Choosing to see the good in others
I’m OK with details, but great with ideas and strategy. I’m average working down a To Do list, but put me in a brainstorming session and you’ll see me at my best. What about you? Where do you shine? We need to ask ourselves where we shine in life. It’s the presence of our strengths not the absence of our weaknesses that leads to greatness. To be human is to wrestle with original sin and fatal flaws. With the Apostle Paul we lament, “Oh wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me?” (Romans 7:24)
Too many of us focus on our inadequacies and the deficiencies of others. We fear the unknown and extrapolate from past failure to predict a dismal future. It’s a waste of time and summons up negative energy rather than tapping faith.
Abraham Lincoln went through a number of ineffective generals before finally discovering Grant. And even then he had to overrule Grant’s detractors who felt it was more important to eliminate weaknesses than to play to strengths. I always use the following story as a point of reference on this subject.
“Grant is a drunkard,” asserted powerful and influential politicians to Lincoln; “he is not himself half the time; he can’t be relied upon, and it is a shame to have such a man in command of an army.”
“So Grant gets drunk, does he?” Lincoln responded.
“Yes, he does, and I can prove it,” was the reply.
“Well,” said Lincoln, with a twinkle in his eye, “you needn’t waste your time getting proof; you just find out what brand of whiskey Grant drinks, because I want to send a barrel of it to each one of my generals.”
Good leaders see the strengths in others and develop them. If you’re
interested in developing this ability into a strength, read
Buckingham’s Now
Discover Your Strengths. Or at least
begin by reading through this
article.
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see, that is how you get greatness…
I spent years thinking God as a pink medicine God. You’re not going to like this, but it’s good for you! (Why is it that pink medicine always tastes the worst?? A great colour but a little sadistic in pharmaceuticals methinks!)
Actually, if He made me as a one off, with skills and giftings He designed, it’s hardly going to be the centre of His plan for my life to concentrate on stuff I hate and can’t do well! Mere logic tells you that.
I still get my share of that stuff. Who doesn’t? It’s called life. But you are right, Seth. Major on your strengths and other people’s strengths. For a start it’s way less depressing! And for second, God will put His finger on the weaknesses He wants to deal with. He doesn’t need any help to do that, even though we act like He does!!
Good thoughts, Seth. Thanks.
lol Carol xxx
Great post Seth !
Yes, we need to learn ourselves, appreciate how we are made, and live out our strengths for the glory of God. But then again, it is in weakness that God’s strength is made perfect. I find that encouraging, especially when I’m in situations where my strengths are woefully inadequate.
Gotta love Abe Lincoln!