The Hand You're Given

There’s always something to be jealous about, if that’s what you choose to focus on. We’re each given a different hand at birth – our family, our “class,” our looks, our personalities, and much more, are all things out of our control. Even those who accumulate wealth, drive nice cars, or wear luxurious products will find someone out there, somewhere, who has something they want.

It usually takes time, but we can be diligent with what we have, hone our skills, and contribute something pretty impressive. If we’re lazy, it’s easy to just say that we’re not talented or just not inclined to succeed. Naturally, I’ve had a difficult time understanding math and I needed some additional classes and help in order to get through some concepts while I was in school. However, this didn’t discourage me from feeling worthless by any means. I simply felt happier doing art, playing music, and doing other more right-brained activities.

While this may have been easy for me to dismiss math, this may not always be easy to accept within a field you want to excel in. If I were a musician in a band, and another guitar player was better than me, then my buttons could be a pushed a bit easier because it’s an area I care about more than something like math.

It takes a lot of maturity to be totally comfortable in one’s own skin. If competition is your focus, then you’ll always be worried you’ll lose, and eventually you will, however, it doesn’t really matter. Life isn’t about being the best but actually being useful. No one is “the best” and there are no criteria that everyone agrees meets the requirement of being “the best.” Talent comes and goes.

When we think about our work being committed to better advance society or a community, then we are able to become less selfish about the use of our talents.

1 Corinthians 12:20-22 (NLT) – “Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most important.”

Putting the whole in perspective instead of the individual makes us happy to contribute our own specific unique talents rather than stretch ourselves thin trying to be all-encompassing, self-sufficient person with no need to contribute or receive from others. As much as we may hate it, we can’t be talented in every area. Western culture loves to push the idea of strong independence, emotional distance, and being self-sufficient. This runs contrary to our nature and frequently leads to numerous disorders.

We ironically try to fit into societies standards and try to be something we’re not meant to be – completely independent. Why do people get so patriotic when disasters happen but spend their lives in separation when helping others isn’t perceived as “necessary?” For a healthy and functioning society, we need to take care of each other and contribute to the whole. Valuing one person’s talents and abilities above another’s will lead to resentment, jealously, and discord. Work together, be useful, and enjoy the community.

For further related reading, please check out: Moving Forward.