Thinking about Paul today, pondering the events that led up to where he is now in our readings, made me think about how a person gains "a platform," or influence with a certain audience. The Proverb passage was, again, wonderfully relevant and light-shedding.
"A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men." Proverbs 18:16 NKJV This seems like a top-tier platform of influence, and the Apostle Paul certainly reached it. He had a gift for explaining God's message in a way that was life-changing and relevant to the people he was speaking to. He obviously had a calling from God to reach many people in many nations, and even powerful men in government.
Paul had to put his faith in action, however, or he never would have reached this platform. Not only did he have to work up to the envisioned platform, he had to take great risks to get there. He was willing to accept imprisonment and even death in order to reach the people he had seen himself speaking to. God gave him the vision, but he had to do what it took to reach it. He did it God's way, and not the world's way, and we're told of many instances of God's direct leading.
We are not all called to stand and speak to the president, or to sing and dance before a multitude. But I think we could interpret the above proverb to mean "a person's gift will make room for him or her and take them where they are meant to go." My understanding is that each of us has God-given gifts (spiritual and natural), that have a potential built into them that matches our God-given capacity to represent Him on a platform that is optimized for us.
We each have an area of influence of some kind. People are interdependent; we cannot help affecting or influencing someone at some time, even when we're children. Relationship and influence are part of God's nature and character, and He is growing us up to be influential in our world. What we do with our influence is, of course, greatly related to our growth and development. Influence and an actual "platform" are two different things, even though they are related.
We are prepared throughout life to use our influence on a platform of wider influence, when we are ready. I'll use myself as an example: as a child, I was practicing all the things I do now that have become platforms of a somewhat wider influence. I drew pictures, wrote poems, made up stories for my sisters and I to play (make-believe), and made up songs on the piano. I do the same things now, just with more skill and with more to "show and tell." There were training platforms, such as talent shows and school leadership, that taught me the need to rely on God's strength instead of my own (this is an ongoing lesson!). I've learned, over the years, that God moves through my spiritual gifts and shines through my natural ones.
Whatever I do now is also practice for the future. Only God knows completely what my potential and capacity really are, and to what platforms He is leading me to in the future. I can only be faithful on the platform He has given me now, and take the next steps towards the future vision He has given. What I see in the future motivates me to keep growing. He knows how much I need to see right now, and He gives me that and no more. He always seems to give me things to do that are right on the edge of what I am capable of at present. I enjoy the things I do, as long as I am leaning on Him and relating to Him constantly as I do them. Allowing Him to move and shine through my gifts, on the platforms He gives me, gives me a sense of purpose and a feeling of satisfaction in my daily life.
Think about your own life and see how you've developed into a person with greater influence. Do you feel satisfaction as well as a desire to grow into the next phase? Or do you feel disappointed at the loss of your dreams? Are you doing the things you are gifted in, or are you stuck doing things you dislike just to make ends meet?
I have been, more than once, stuck and disappointed with my life. But God has always been there for me and redeemed my darkest hours. He is faithful, and He has a plan to get you into a more hopeful, creative, fulfilling place in life. He is greater than any of your circumstances or problems, even ones you've created yourself. If you're lost, He's already found you. If you're floundering, He's already made a way. Call out to Him and listen for His reply. If you come to Him in humility, and you are willing to take risks at His direction, you will eventually find yourself in a place of joy and wider influence. Maybe you will even reach your greatest potential and your highest platform.
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