Today, I want to ask: Have you ever been overlooked for opportunities or advancement (indicator #5) because of your lack of discipline and/or poor performance (indicator #6)?
It may be hard to admit, but the truth is people get overlooked all the time for promotions, opportunities, advancement and their "big shot" because they lack discipline, which usually shows up with poor performance. Let me use my middle school dance classes as an example.
When my students were preparing to perform in the school's Christmas program this year, I was working them pretty hard in class every day. Each grade level (6th, 7th, and 8th) was set to perform one song each; they each had one shot to make a statement. The 6th graders were ready to go! All year they've been my hardest workers. They WANT TO shine in EVERYTHING they do in dance class. The 7th graders really liked their song for the Christmas program because it was a fun one. For once, I didn't have much static from them. But those 8th graders, the ones who are too mature to care, "fought" the Christmas program from the day I introduced their song until the day of the performance. The boys thought the choreography was too girly. The girls thought the combinations were too difficult. The music was too slow. The transitions were confusing. "And we'll be dancing barefoot?" they asked. Every complaint under the sun! It was a trying time with them. There were a few students, though, who knew that no matter what the choreography was like or how slow the music was or if they had on shoes or not, they had to make the grade, and they weren't about to let one performance mess that up. They worked hard EVERY class session, they didn't complain, they asked for help when they needed it, and they even asked for extra rehearsals. They weren't the best dancers, by far, but they gave 110%.
Three days before the performance, I announced that only three 8th grade students would be performing in the Christmas program. The class was shocked and a bit confused at first; they couldn't believe I wasn't making them participate, but I REFUSED to have a halfway performance from them. When I named the three students, they were excited. They had worked hard for it. The rest of the class erupted with a different excitement because they were relieved that they didn't have to do anything. I could literally feel the tension subside in the room. But then, the KICKER!
When I announced that those 3 students would also be receiving 2 test grades for their performance and an exemption from the final choreography assessment (the biggest one of the semester), everyone wanted to all of a sudden get their act together and perform. But, of course, it was too late. And like a good teacher whose goal is to teach a lesson in EVERYTHING, I stood my ground and watched them eat their complaints and squirm with embarrassment, disgust (with themselves), and regret.
See...it wasn't that they couldn't do it. In fact, they had proven many times in the weeks of preparation that they could out dance the 6th and 7th graders and make the 8th grade song the audience's favorite. (I love friendly competition with them.) After seeing themselves on video, they even agreed that they looked amazing, but the "I don't care" and "I'm too cute to perform in front of all those people" attitudes killed them. (What did they think dance class was for?) The BEST dancers missed an opportunity to be the best because they couldn't get over themselves. They let all of their good talent go unnoticed, and the not-so-good dancers jumped in and "took their prize".
Who took your prize?
Jesus had something to say about a matter similar to my classroom example. In the following passage, Jesus was talking to His disciples, explaining to them that no man knows the day or the hour of the end of the age. He told them to not let that be their concern. Instead, He said, be busy about the work of the kingdom. He gave them this example:
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. come and share your master's happiness!' 22 The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 His Master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24 Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents." (Matthew 25, NIV)
Jesus used this story as a way to explain to His disciples and today's disciples (Christians) that they should be using what He gave them (gifts, talents and abilities) to bring others into the kingdom. Like the man who had 5 talents, for example... Let's imagine that his five talents were teaching, building and creating, singing, budgeting and planning, and writing. The Master was pleased when He returned because the man had used his teaching to break down the truth of God's word to others; he used his ability to build and create to design a facility for the homeless in the community where they could shower, eat, sleep and attend classes to help prepare them for life off the streets; he sang in the choir that held weekend concerts at the homeless facility, and many of the homeless were so moved by the choir that they wanted to join to learn the songs of the Lord; he used his budgeting and planning skills to create an organization that would financially support 20 less fortunate children every year to attend a week-long Christian sports camp where they could hear the gospel and learn God's word; and he used his writing to write books that encouraged others to live lives that please God. The Master was so pleased! So many people came to know Jesus as a result of the man using what The Master gave him. He made a return on The Master's investment in him.
And the same for the man who had two talents. He did a lot with his two talents and people's hearts were drawn to Jesus because of it. But the one who had one talent did nothing. He was like so many of us who have skills and natural giftings and do nothing with them for the kingdom. He "sat on the gift", and the Master was not pleased. The man was told to put his talents to work, but he didn't and the Master called Him a lazy and wicked servant. He completely overlooked the man and gave his talent to the man who had 10 talents because he knew he'd do something with them.
Think On This...
Are you like the man with the one talent? Has the Lord overlooked you for "promotion" or advancement because of your poor performance? Has he given attention to someone else with your same giftings and skill set because you haven't proven that you can produce?
We will continue tomorrow with being overlooked because of poor performance, but you have an assignment. You will need this assignment when you come to the blog tomorrow.
Assignment
On a sheet of paper or in the notes section on your phone, list the natural gifts you have. A natural gift is something you do well that, in most cases, you knew how to do without any training. Singing, for example, is one of those things that you're either born with, or you're not. That's an example of a natural gift. Most of us have multiple gifts. List as many as you can think of.
Iantha's List
singing
dancing
twirling (batons)
choreography
writing
editing
teaching
speaking
acting
organizing
budgeting and planning
encouraging
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