On our recent trip to Romania, Josh, our missionary, shared this story. He was at a coffee shop and wanted to compliment the barista’s fingernails. But instead of saying “fingernails” (unghi), he said “knees” (genunchi). I have made similar faux pas in my days as a missionary. You cannot learn a foreign language if you are so nervous about saying the wrong thing that you don’t say anything. You have to be willing to be corrected and you have to be able to laugh at yourself when you say something silly or foolish or embarrassing. Like when I asked a young lady working at a Xerox office if they made “children” (copii – emphasizing the last syllable) there rather than “copies” (copi – emphasizing the first syllable).
I play softball with the men at church but I am surely the weakest player on the team. I wish I could play better, but the only experience I have playing softball – is playing softball with the men from church. That doesn’t help my image of myself when it comes to self-confidence! Some people, however, will not try anything in which they are afraid they will not excel.
Then there are those who will only do things they are good at and will not try anything new. If you are a man, do you lead prayer in worship? Why not? You could write the words down so that even in your nervousness, you can just read what you have written. There’s nothing wrong with that. Have you read Scripture in worship? Why not? You can certainly practice that at home! There is not a greater honor in the world than leading God’s people in worship to Him and too many men rob themselves of that privilege from fear of not appearing as skilled or polished as someone else.
I am not a good singer. Like my mom, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. I tell people I sing “tenor” – ten or twelve notes off. But I sure like to sing! I have led singing here and there at different times, but I am glad to allow someone else that honor. Just let me sing! One time a friend joked about my singing – and I could handle the joke the first 14 times he made the joke. But after the 15th time, I had to have a talk with him. It wasn’t funny anymore.
If you are afraid of challenging yourself, especially in service to God, because you are afraid of what others might say or think, you might live a boring life. And you might steal from yourself an opportunity to develop a skill that you did not know you had!
Be humble enough to laugh at yourself. Laugh at yourself when others laugh at you. If you are funny, you are funny. There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes! Just learn from them.
God, of course, looks at us differently. God looks at our heart. If you want someone to be impressed, do your best to impress God. Show Him by your spirit of adventure that you want to honor Him in new and exciting ways. Explore various talents that might be dormant in your heart and find new rewards in life.
“Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
Paul Holland
