Living in the Sweet Spot

 From time to time some children hear the words, "You were a mistake. I never wanted you." This is devastating to a child. To grow up believing they were an unwanted accident damages the psyche. Read this very carefully. NO CHILD IS A MISTAKE. THEY WERE CREATED BY AN INTELLIGENT MAKER. I know I will get push back from that statement. Questions may arise as to why certain children are born with birth defects, disabled, or who will not live long after birth. The short answer goes back to Adam and Eve and their choice to sin. Their sin has impacted every person naturally born from that day to this day. Sin has cursed our world. Some of the consequences bring about sickness, disease, and disabilities. 

God creates people with purpose nevertheless. I know a disabled man, who even as an adult, has to be cared for by his aging parents. His name is Kyle. He is one of the most outgoing extroverts I have ever met. He is never shy about making new friends and talking to people about Jesus. He brings joy to everyone who knows him. His mental capacities are that of a young teenager even though he is nearly 50. He is also incredibly joyful. He impacts many people and never uses his disability to hold him back. At some point he learned to play the drums. His parents keep a set of drum sticks in the back of their vehicle so Kyle can pound away on the seat in front of him keeping the beat with songs playing. 

We are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus. That is how Eph 2:10 phrases it. We were created with purpose. I did not know it as a child, but God created me to preach and write. I discovered the call to write in elementary school back in fifth grade. I loved to write so much that one year I asked for a typewriter. What twelve year old asks for a typewriter? We are talking pre computer days. I did not discover His call to preach until July 4, 1985 at a youth camp. For the past 40 years I have spent my life preaching and writing. 

You have some unique calling on your life for God too. He uniquely gifted you to do something. Some teach, nurse, coach, cook, clean, manage wealth, practice medicine, legislate, practice law, write, serve in law enforcement, own a business, repair vehicles, and a host of other things. God created you for something. He gave you a unique personality, passion, and mastery of skills to do something. Some can sing, play an instrument, paint, act, organize, operate computers, fitness train, farm, and ranch. 

There is lady named LaFonda whom we employ to clean our church. I cannot rave enough about the fantastic job she does. She is diligent, thorough, industrious, faithful, attentive, and willing to go the extra mile. So much so that one weekend when we had guests ministers in town, whom we gave a tour of the building, they commented about the cleanliness of the facilities and even said something about her from the stage on Sunday morning. She does a fantastic job that testifies to her talents and work ethic. I told her last week what a fantastic she does. She has earned my deepest admiration and she inspires me to work hard at what I am called to do. No joke, as I was typing this, she just knocked on my door to vacuum the carpet and to empty my trash. I asked her permission to include her in this article. She gave me permission and said, "Nobody has ever written about me before." She seemed surprised and at first thought I was kidding until I pointed out this paragraph to her. Her great work speaks for her. If you know her, give her a pat on the back or a word of encouragement. 

God created us with purpose. It is our job to seek Him to discover that purpose. When you are living in your purpose, it is what I call living life in the sweet spot. Have you ever hit a baseball with a bat? If you hit the ball too close to the handle it will jar your hands. It is a totally different feeling when you hit the ball in the fat part of the bat known as the sweet spot. Living life in your purpose is living in the sweet spot. I hope you discover yours.