Our place in the Cosmos

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world..."
                                                                                                                -Marianne Williamson

Think about it! We were created in His image and after His likeness, were we not? Everything we have the potential to be is all that is good, mature, and beautiful. We are not being our true selves when we shrink into obscurity. Philippians 2:14-18 contains this thought: "...blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life." Well, with that much riding on us, we best develop some healthy humility...

Now, humility does not mean refusing the bald fact that you did something. Humility means acknowledging what you did and the impact it made on others SO THAT you may then turn it back in praise to Papa.
If you don't first receive the armful of ribbons, your arms will be empty. You will have nothing to give to Him.


"Wow, thank you so much for leading us in worship! That was incredible, you are so anointed! That song about_________, man I was having a terrible day and that just made me feel 100% better!"
"It was nothing. I'm just a vessel." <---- good answer

"Wow, thank you so much for leading us in worship! That was incredible, you are so anointed! That song about_________, man I was having a terrible day and that just made me feel 100% better!"
"Thank you for saying that, I am so glad to hear that it helped you enter in! You know, I can't even read music, so it's really all just Papa up there. I just show up! Sometimes it's a struggle to show up and be willing, but I do it so that His heart can be released and everyone can get to the same place together. " <----- much, much better


"You look so young and beautiful!" "You are so talented!" "You are such a good hostess!" "Thank you for praying with me, you were spot on."
How many times do we deflect things like this? How often do we get twitchy and put our shields up as if complements are lasers? Why do we have shields for compliments? I think it's because the complements have the capability of exposing our deepest insecurities. (See opening statement.)