You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby!
If you’re saying that to me — you hit the nail on the head! Yes! I have — from that intimidated, shy, fearful, and low self-esteem young girl to this out there in attitude, brave and confident “mature” woman. I am a better version of myself because I determined to get out of that shell that held me captive for way too many years. That determination came because I realized He Who is fully confident and fearless, lives big in me! (Colossians 1:27)
How about you? Self-examination time. What have we got to lose in this one life we live? Just think about how far you have come. You’ve acquired abilities you never thought possible. You dreamed of driving a car and the day came when you earned your driver’s license. Now you’ve been driving for years. You dreamed of one day getting married and having children. That day came. Now you’re raising your children and, quite frankly, you’re doing a great job at it. You dreamed of the day when you’d have a job that paid you well for your hard work. You put that dreaming to work as you earned a college degree or learned a skill or gained on-the-job experience that opened up more doors for your next position.
Think back to where you started. Maybe it was a newspaper route that taught you the discipline of getting up early, being responsible for being on time and throwing it to the right place on the driveway. Maybe it was a waitress/waiter job that taught you patience and diligence. Maybe those school sports taught you to be a team player with sportsmanship and comradery that you have with your friends and fellow employees today.
Think about the skills, abilities, and leadership qualities Jesus had when He showed up on the scene at age 30. He must have acquired many of His characteristics from the training He received from his dad while working in the family carpentry business and from the tough times when his dad, Joseph, passed away and He had to step up and earn income for He and His mother. Also, think about His childhood, youth, and manhood, when He studied the Scriptures. Here is what was said of Him: “And He grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God and Man.” Luke 2:52.
Back to my original “ask”, are you a better version of yourself today than you were back in the day? I keep working on it, especially since I have acquired all these skills from a lifetime of experience. If we pursue being better today than yesterday; if we keep working at being a light to this world simply by wearing a smile that lights up the room we’re in, full of the “I can do ALL things through Christ Who gives me strength” mentality – then we’ll land right where God planned for us. If we’ll step out of our comfort zone to make a new friendship and brave the world outside our four walls, who knows, we might land an open door!
And, if we keep diligently pursuing God and becoming who He destined us to be, we’ll also hear those words about Jesus, “And he/she grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52) I don’t know about you, but I see my life’s timeline and I see God’s Master Plan that landed me right where I am here today. He’s been with me all the way. I can assure you “I’ve come a long way, Baby!” How about you? We’re still here so we’re not done with choosing to continue to grow, learn and finish strong!”