When Being "Smart & Special" Isn't Enough

Awake, I beseech thee, O my soul, and let the fire of a heavenly love be kindled in thy heart, and wisely consider the beauty which thy Lord God hath bestowed upon thee... Anselm of Canterbury

Once, many years ago, my wife and I were enjoying a rare night out together that included dinner.  The restaurant was jammed that evening, and so we had to sit at the bar, where an energetic and personable young guy waited on us.

Merideth is always great at connecting with people everywhere she goes.  She will often engage in deep conversations with strangers---cashiers, flight attendants, and bartenders.  I love that about her because I tend to stay in my lane when it comes to those kinds of interactions.

At any rate, she began talking to our bartender, and he opened up to share a bit of his life's journey with us, and why he had decided to back to college in his mid-thirties.

He said something I never forgot: 

"I was told that I was smart and special for so long that I believed that all my dreams would just come to me."

He shared how he'd drifted through life searching for his one, true passion, and how he finally realized that he was never going to discover it by simply waiting on it to magically appear. 

He had to actually begin moving before he was clear about what was next. He needed to make the road by walking. 

It's easy to grow complacent when it comes to your faith---to put that part of your life in a comfortable holding pattern.  You may think, "Well, I'm doing pretty good, and Jesus kind of has to love me... so it'll come to me at some point." 


I've always loved how the Apostle Paul filled his letters in the New Testament with such urgency.  He constantly urged early Christians to be awakened and vibrant, and not be complacent.   He exhorted Timothy, a young leader in the Church to never lose his sense of urgency. 

If you are searching for a renewed sense of passion when it comes to your relationship with Jesus, don't sit and wait for it to come to you.  Get moving.  You can make the road by walking. 

Develop a sense of urgency that is grounded in the belief that you have been given the gift of today, and today is all you have.  And may you use today to the fullest as you make your way toward the passion God created you to embrace. 

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.