You Were Made for MoreSample

The Authentic

Message

You are not a random accident. Quite the contrary, God made you intentionally. Fearfully. Wonderfully. With a plan. When you live according to the design God chose for you, you will find yourself able to get out of the hardest situations, able to excel farther than you ever thought you could, able to do even greater things.

We all know the story of David and Goliath and how the young shepherd boy cajoled his way into representing Saul's army in battle. I’ve read this story many times but only recently realized that David had a chance to use stronger weapons and better armor than he’d ever seen before. He had a chance to help improve his bleak chances. But when Saul offered to let David wear his armor and use his weapons, David tried it all on and came to an amazing point of authenticity. He basically said, “This wasn’t made for me.”

Being authentic and sticking with what he felt was right, David used what he knew. That choice slingshotted him to victory in the face of all but certain death. He was vaulted to a position he never could’ve thought possible.

Most researchers note that David would’ve been much better off taking a bigger sword, a bigger shield, and better armor into battle. Instead, David took five smooth stones. Most commentators agree that the mention of the smoothness of the stones means they were familiar to David (not just any five rocks he picked out of the desert that day), and that the number of stones was significant. David picked five stones, probably as a reference to the five books of the Torah, the cornerstone of Jewish teaching.

David stuck with what he knew. He took simple things that he had expertise in instead of complicated stronger weapons that were foreign to him. Another advantage our authentic, true-to-himself David had? He made a point to proclaim that the battle was not his, but God’s.

How often have you found yourself looking for a new tool to solve your problem? How many times have we looked for a new diet plan to help us lose weight? How many times have we looked outside what we are familiar with to provide a solution in our life? Well, it’s great to explore new things, but being authentic to yourself may be the single best way to get out of trouble. In the story, we also see it’s the quickest way to elevate your life and your role in this world past anything you ever could’ve guessed. David was a shepherd boy, now he was the leader of an army. David had a slingshot, but once Goliath was dead, David was on his way to becoming king.

Imagine what might be unlocked if you would focus on being more of who you were authentically wired to be, rather than looking for the latest, newest quick fix. We see this often in our work: People looking to change jobs in hopes of finding happiness when they might be better served turning inward and focusing on themselves.

Steps

Use this week to learn more about how you're wired. Maybe take an Enneagram test or a DISC inventory. I’m personally a fan of the VanderIndex. Whatever you choose, do something this week to teach yourself more about how you're wired. Then begin to consider ways that you can apply that wiring to your work. If you can find a way to do the work you’re assigned within your authentic self, you’ll go farther than you can imagine.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to know how you made me. Let me be satisfied with your plan and lean into what you have planned for me. And let me find ways to use that wiring to face my battles and do “greater things.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.