Be The One

It is so easy to disqualify ourselves from “being the one.” The one to go first, the one to take the leap, the one to raise our hand, the one to stop, the one to start, the one to lead and not follow the crowd, the one to choose the path less traveled.

The exciting thing about “being the one” is that is where the opportunities are not only different and abundant, but available to all of us, regardless of our age, race, gender, religion, shape or size, family or title.

I love the story of Jeremiah. If you know this story, you know Jeremiah was a young teenager who God sent to warn people of the price they would pay if they didn’t clean up their act. By people, I mean an entire country!  Can you imagine such an assignment? Regardless of what size country you live in, this is an unfathomable ask.

Regardless of age, almost anyone given that size of an assignment would quickly disqualify themselves from “being the one” to achieve such a task. As you can imagine, young Jeremiah was scared to the point that he reminded God how young he was, which makes me laugh, as if God needed a reminder. God knows everything about us, including the number of hairs on our head. What God needed was action and He chose Jeremiah. Jeremiah was “the one.”

Where God guides, He always provides!

God told Jeremiah he could start by looking for just one person among all the disobedient, and if Jeremiah could, God would cancel the pending destruction… JUST ONE obedient person could be the reason to stop their fate.

We think the world is too messed up today for one person to make a difference. That is absolutely, positively WRONG! The world is messed up and has always been messed up. Since Adam and Eve messed up, we have lived in a fallen messed-up world. It’s also a historical FACT that time after time, it’s been one person responsible for creating or activating monumental change …for the good.

We celebrate people all the time who answered the call to be the one, including: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, many authors, parents, pastors, teachers, leaders, speakers. All were (and are) everyday people – mere mortals – who answered a call. I don’t know about you, but I want my legacy to be what happened because I answered the call.

How can we ensure we don’t dismiss the calls we get to “be the one”? Notice I wrote calls, meaning more than one! Calls actually come often – calls to step up and step out – calls to show up or maybe calls to shut up (or maybe I’m the only one getting the latter).

There is one place where I always hear a call, and that’s when I spend time reading or studying God’s Word. He always speaks directly to my heart and most of the time it is about “my” heart! I’m naturally inclined to apply what I’m learning or hearing to “someone else.” That even includes the Bible characters I’m reading about, which by the way is where there are some of the most captivating, better than Hollywood stories. It’s often like watching a movie where you want to scream, “Wake up people – are you deaf and blind? GET UP! Can’t you see what’s in store for you?”

Time and time again, what I’ve discovered is that God doesn’t waste our time together by telling me what’s wrong with someone else, including my spouse, kids, co-workers, or neighbors. Unless He needs me to show them grace or to support His call on them, He’s always there to speak directly to me and you, One-on-one about what He needs from us and wants for us!

We have ALL been chosen for such a time as this! We are the one God wants to work on, work with or work through. Sometimes it’s a big assignment – sometimes it’s small. In fact, it could be so small that we think it can’t be from God: Making eye contact and smiling at someone. Complimenting someone. Listening to someone without imposing our opinion. Bringing someone coffee or a snack. Maybe it’s just modeling His way in our response. Maybe it’s putting your grocery cart back. Showing up and starting work early. Maybe it’s about staying a little late – off the clock – to help a co-worker finish up.

Back to Jeremiah’s story. God told Jeremiah to look for just one person! God is always looking for that one person. I wonder how many times I’ve missed His call. I wonder how many times I’ve created interference causing me to miss hearing a call. What about you? How can we all make it easier to be in position to “be the one”?

Hearing the Call

How do we hear anything? We listen. But there is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is automatic – it takes little-to-no effort. Listening is intentional and takes effort. I don’t know if you remember or have a CB radio.  Their still out there. Over-the-road truck drivers still use CB radios to communicate. When my husband and I take road trips, we turn it on to listen for traffic or weather issues. The trucks ahead help warn those following behind. Other drivers over the CB radio ask

“Do you have your ears on?” We must have our ears on to hear the call. When we have open ears and an open heart to any call – nothing and no one can stop us – but us.

The Noise of Busyness – Turning Down Interference

Noise doesn’t always come in an audible way. More often it comes by way of busyness. Sadly, many of us miss out on a call because we’re too busy. Busyness noise prevents us from hearing a call. What noise is getting in the way of you hearing a call? If you use your drive time to make calls or music – stop and use that time to listen or talk to God. Tell Him you have your ears on – bring it on!

The Noise of Self-Doubt

Often the most power voice we hear is that internal voice that constantly tries to convince us, with a million reasons, why we can’t “be the one.” Remember this: Sometimes the devil speaks to us, using our own voice to make it easier to believe. Just because a voice pops into your head does not mean its your thought! Read my “That’s Not My Thought” blog that will help set you free in this area.

The Trump Card called Free Will

God wants to speak to you and through you! The catch is He allows you to decide if you want to hear Him and “be the one.” It’s called free will. It’s free if you’re willing and it’s the trump card. You have to say yes. Now you know – you have been chosen; the rest is up to you! Answer the call and BE THE ONE!

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