"I'm not Bono!"

When I was a child, I wanted to help people. I was that 6^th grade kid who wanted to start a disaster relief fundraiser when the tsunami hit Indonesia. One time, when the power was out at our house because of a snow storm (read: an inch or two of snow on the ground), somebody mentioned the homeless in our city and I'm pretty sure I burst out crying right then and there thinking of these people huddled somewhere in the cold. This isn't to pat myself on the back...it's just how I was as a child. And I think it's how lots of children are. Children have big dreams. Big dreams of making a difference and they don’t think of being held back.

Somewhere along the way though, we grow up and our thought process changes. We let things stand in the way of stepping out to help others and attempting to positively impact someone's life. 

I've noticed that there appears to be two groups of people. (1) Those who believe they can help, and, therefore, do. And (2) those who let fears stand in the way of helping, then don’t.

Most people are the latter--thinking that they’re inadequate and therefore can’t do anything to make a difference.  As we age, these fears of certain deficiencies inundate us, and, the train of thought that follows is “I can't make a difference unless I've got enough *blank* (influence, money, or resources, etc.).I'm not Bono*! Nobody will pay attention to anything I attempt to make a difference.” Or, even more seriously, people think that they’re so messed up, that God cannot actually use them to make a difference. They let these fears hold them back, possibly from something that God has called them to.

Basically, the fear of lacking holds us back. There's no way that God can use us to make a difference in somebody's life, so besides the occasional service project, why even attempt?

We let so much stand in the way of following the Lord's leading. We don't step up and into situations to serve because we let our fears of inadequacies get in the way. But listen, we are never too messed up, screwed up, sinful, under resourced, poor, un-influential, or ill equipped for the Lord to use us.

If the Lord is calling me to something, you'd better believe He'll equip me, teach me, lead me. So how dare I look at the Lord and tell Him that there's no way I can or will do what He wants and is calling me to do--there's no way He can use me? Because, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."

God is calling masses of believers to step outside of their comfort zones. People of differing backgrounds who have experienced different joys and heartaches and who have their own area of influence. God is calling us here, and now. Are we going to get past any inadequacy we feel we have in order to step into a role of mercy to the hurting in the world? Because once we do that, God is going to use us for His glory. Use us to impact the hurting world.

*Note: I use Bono as an example because he's someone who has not only the money to get things done, but the influence not only to draw attention to certain issues but also to encourage others to act.

(Via Christine Caine's Facebook page)