**There aren't any affiliate links in this post**
The analytics company Gallup once did a survey about human potential--and you might be surprised by the results. Bold has been added for emphasis.
"In Gallup's research into human potential over the past 30 years -- including interviews with more than 2 million people -- the evidence is overwhelming: People will be most successful in whatever they do by building their lives around their greatest natural abilities, rather than their weaknesses."
The gist? You will get more done, and be happier about life, relying on your strengths than your weaknesses. There is a minimum, though, that you should strive for: You should know the basics like how to handle money well, how to fend for yourself, etc. This is not an excuse to do nothing.
But, in tandem with the passage above, here are four things to consider about well-roundedness:
- If God wanted us to be well rounded, why give us such unique personalities?
- To really be well-rounded requires our strengths to be stifled.
- Perfect well-roundedness is impossible.
- God's power is made perfect in weakness.
God Gave us Great Gifts
Eight billion people and counting were made in the image of God, to be representatives of Him and to spread His message and love. And each one of us has unique giftings.
So why not use those giftings?
God gave us Spiritual Gifts to use for His glory. Multiple people with unique talents come together to form the Body of Christ. We need community; we cannot do everything.
Perfection is Impossible
If we work hard and persevere, we could improve our weaker areas...
To OK at best.
We have our strong spots, and they should remain strong. To be equal at everything means to have to lower our strengths to fit the standard. Well-roundedness should not have to become a burden. We should not have to weaken ourselves to be perfectly well-rounded.
Romans 1:17 (ESV): 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,[a] as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 3:27 (ESV): 27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
Romans 10:10 (ESV): 10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
The message of well-roundedness being what God wants stems from the "good acts" lie. Well-roundedness is a belief that God wants us to be good at all that we do.
The problem? We're flawed.
We can't be trying out best at everything. We need to accept that we're weak.
God Works Miracles in Weakness
We should embrace our weaknesses--and be mindful of them--instead of trying to fight them. We can learn from our weaknesses and discover where God is calling us.
But struggling to "fix" our weaknesses is not the answer. We are sinful. Flawed.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): 9“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So embrace the fact you have flaws. Embrace the fact that you are not perfect.
Because that could be one of your quirks that draws someone closer to God.
So...
Working in our weaknesses only weakens us and limits our capabilities to function at our best. You don't want the super outgoing, spur-of-the-moment, people and emotion-oriented evangelist to sit down in an office where there are strict rules and order around every corner.
Being mindful of our weaknesses is important and finding ways to make them not so weak is healthy. But when the goal is to become well-rounded, then problems, stress, and unwanted pressure arise.
~Skylar
...
The blog recently turned three (months), and so I have a form you can fill out. Liking the blog? Something you think should be changed? Tell me via the form.