The Tens Have It

Titus 3:8 -- "This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.  These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."

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That tight spot right in the middle of my forehead began to throb as I zeroed in on the pages of my algebra book. I'd been at my homework for hours and could not - for the life of me - figure any of it out. When I look at a page of math problems that go beyond the scope and understanding of basic multiplication - I might as well be trying to read Greek prose in Chinese. I know, that sounds funny - but I'm not kidding.

Math and I get along like oil and water. And there are times - especially as a mother who homeschooled both boys through all but two grades - when anything more than numbering a page for a grocery list is just not gonna' happen. I will literally break out into sweats when somebody mentions a math test.

For the longest time in school and for a period after graduation I stressed at my complete lack of ability to grasp mathematic patterns and concepts. Never mind that I more than excelled in honors history, English literature, and Creative Writing......that stinkin' math class was the only thing on which I could focus! There were even certain jobs for which I refused to apply just in case the employer asked me a math question!

Can you imagine?

I bet you can. Because each of us has a thing on which we focus when we mess up or simply cannot seem to succeed. We may be total tens at painting, or wood carving, or cooking, or singing - but we can't see past the low score of a two or three on that ONE something at which we do not excel.

Ever feel that way?

In our family - I am terrible at setting a budget. I'm even worse at sticking to one. It took YEARS of frustrating and horrible results for me to finally accept the fact that the family finances are not my strong suit - and learned to hand that whole ball of wax over to my husband. All that time I was struggling so hard to turn my lousy score of 1 to a measly improved score of 4 [that's being generous] in the budgeting department - I COULD have been focusing on the things in which I totally score a ten. I'm an excellent cook! I can score a bargain the likes of which you've never seen at a thrift store! I can sing an amazing alto in the church choir. I can come up with a pretty darn good tale if I want to and have a pretty good knack for encouraging others. All of those things for which I am grateful and WITH which I can serve God went sadly neglected for several years because I couldn't see past my budgeting failure.

Ya know what? Human beings have been struggling with this failure obsession for EONS! In fact, in Paul's letter to Titus - he expresses his deep desire to teach others to continue working on the GOOD things in their lives. He asks that fellow believers are careful to devote themselves to that which is good.

He makes a good point, here. How often did I neglect to encourage others because I had allowed myself to become deeply depressed over something so mundane as family budgeting? Probably quite often, I'm sad to say.

But it doesn't have to remain that way, does it?

Something keeping you up at night? Is there a thing at which you cannot excel and it's driving you so crazy you can't see past it?

Drop it. Instead - look at the wonderful things with which God has given you great success and an amazing knack!! Excel in those good, good things and use them to serve the Lord. That's what God wants from you. He doesn't need you to be perfect and He doesn't need you to be great at everything. Just serve Him with all of your tens!