I was listening to the That Sounds Fun podcast recently when there was an episode with Jada Edwards. One of her visuals gave language to something my heart has pondered on and off for awhile.
In school, my teachers always signed my yearbooks or told my parents, “Cara is going to do great things.” I’m glad people believed in me, but it also makes me question if I have indeed hit that mark. I haven’t excelled to the highest levels at any one thing. I don’t have awards or book deals. I haven’t started a company or revolutionized an old one. I haven’t won any contests with prize money. I haven’t established a non-profit. I can’t think of any “talents” that I could enter in a talent show. (Oh, I’m good at things, but not things that work well in that scenario.)
On TSF, Jada was talking about what areas God is asking her to serve in. She said it’s best for her when she’s busy and she has herself in a lot of different settings. She said she’s likely never going to be the best in any of those areas, but God’s asking her to do those things at her best.
She mentioned that some people might be focused on one or two things and get to the top in those areas. It’s like people winning a Grammy or a gold medal. She said she’s more like the “suicide” soda connocation a lot of people made as kids. You go up to the soda fountain and get a little bit of a ton of drinks. (I was never a fan of this method, but I remember my cousins showing me the ropes.)
A point she made was that God is asking you to do what he’s called you to do. He’s asking you to fill up your bucket with the tasks he’s given you to do. You might have one task that single-handedly fills the bucket or you might have 20 tasks. Either way getting the bucket full is what God is asking you to do.
I’ve often wondered how good I could have been at something if it was my singular focus. Over the years, I’ve tried to see if there is something like that God has called me to do. So far, the answer has been no.
Here’s one example. All through junior high and high school, I played sports. At my tiny junior high, I was one of the best. At my high school, I was good enough to make varsity basketball my sophomore year. As high school ended, I was considering playing in college since I was going to a smaller school where I could likely make the team. The coach said I could come and see what it was all about. I did the first week of summer conditioning. I met the other players and found out what the commitment required. It was a lot! It was not only practices and games and travel but also things like team study hall. If I chose basketball, I was choosing that over anything else including my church’s college group and getting a job. I just didn’t see that as where I was supposed to put all my efforts. It wasn’t the one thing I felt called to invest in. So I invested in the leadership team at college group, leading small groups, working after school daycare, investing in friendships, and mission trips.
Even though my one thing wasn’t basketball, as an adult, I’ve been waiting to see if there’s one thing that deserves my sole attention and focus. Time and time again, rather than honing a skill or perfecting a talent, the thing that I feel deserves my sole attention is loving God and loving others. That was the motto of one of my churches, and it’s a good personal motto too. This isn’t going to bring fame or fortune. It’s not something that comes with a banquet, a plaque, or with prize money.
If I wanted or expected that one special thing to show up, I’d be really disappointed right now since it hasn’t happened. I have to remember that it’s ok not to fill my bucket with one flavor. It’s ok to have tons of tidbits of this and that as long as I’m being obedient to what God has put before me to do. My favorite Bible verse is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I love that he has jobs for us. He’s gotten them ready for us. He knows your talents and my talents, and he puts us in places where he can use us.
Not all of those jobs God brings our way are flashy.We don’t get awards for mailing a friend a card when they’re going through a hard time or sending them a calligraphy practice book when they mentioned trying it as a new hobby. We don’t get prize money for showing up to work every day and smiling at the people we see even when it’s attitude filled pre-teens who rarely smile back. We don’t become famous for baking treats for our friends or keeping our cool when someone is annoying. No one gives us a banquet because we gave our tithe or we took time to listen to a kid’s rambling story that felt like it may never end. BUT THOSE THINGS MATTER. In fact, I’ll argue that they matter way more than earning a medal or award or prize.
There are a million ways to serve God and serve others, and most of them don’t make you famous. Concentrate on filling your bucket with what’s in front of you whatever it looks like.
To make this a dessert analogy instead of a soda one, someone else’s bucket may be filled with award winning vanilla ice cream. Yours might be a rainbow of flavors with marshmallows, chocolate chips, brownie pieces, or hot fudge. It’s an eclectic combination that no one else has. Both of those meet the qualifications to be a dessert. They have done their job and done it well.
So whatever it is that you’re filling your bucket with, keep it up! We were all designed with a purpose and a role. Be that to the best of your ability. Whether your bucket is one thing or a hodgepodge of things, like mine, celebrate that it’s full. A full bucket is your way to serve God and others.
Fearless Flourishing 