Don't you ever wonder how some movie and TV stars ever got to be so loved and well-known?
Take Jimmy Durante. With his huge nose and gruff voice, how in the world did he ever get to be a star?
Or Fran Drescher with that awful voice?
Or Barbra Streisand: wonderful talent, but not so pretty?
How about Ethel Merman's strident voice?
Or Danny Devito?
It's easy to understand how Elizabeth Taylor or George Clooney or Ewan McGregor or Jennifer Lopez got their star status. They're all fantastic to look at.
But I have real admiration for those less-than lookers who became celebrities. Not that celebrity-status is admirable in and of itself. But to have such grit and determination, to ignore the doubting voices of friends or families or critics, to keep on going after your dream even when the the chances of making it are slim to nothing.
What I can say about the first group of stars is this: they're originals. Their stand-out quality: height (or lack of it), big nose, weird voice -- these might be termed a liability.
But Durante, et al, took their liabilities and turned them into an asset.
How about you? What liability do you have that can be turned into an asset?
God is the Master of using people who seem the most unlikely candidates, the "nothings" of their world:
Moses didn't talk well,
David was the youngest and most obscure son of Jesse,
Rahab was a prostitute
Joshua was an old man
Abraham and Sarah were too old to be parents
Mary was a poor peasant
Paul was hateful and self-righteous (and a murderer).
Are you too short, too shy, too unschooled, too fat, too unattractive, too untalented, too stupid, too damaged?
God delights in using the "nothings" of this world to pour into them His glorious strength, wisdom, giftings and passion.
Liabilities mean nothing to God. In scripture, God has said many times, "Is anything too difficult for me?"
Place your liability at God's feet and see what He can do.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)
"What is impossible with men is possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
Take Jimmy Durante. With his huge nose and gruff voice, how in the world did he ever get to be a star?
Or Fran Drescher with that awful voice?
Or Barbra Streisand: wonderful talent, but not so pretty?
How about Ethel Merman's strident voice?
Or Danny Devito?
It's easy to understand how Elizabeth Taylor or George Clooney or Ewan McGregor or Jennifer Lopez got their star status. They're all fantastic to look at.
But I have real admiration for those less-than lookers who became celebrities. Not that celebrity-status is admirable in and of itself. But to have such grit and determination, to ignore the doubting voices of friends or families or critics, to keep on going after your dream even when the the chances of making it are slim to nothing.
What I can say about the first group of stars is this: they're originals. Their stand-out quality: height (or lack of it), big nose, weird voice -- these might be termed a liability.
But Durante, et al, took their liabilities and turned them into an asset.
How about you? What liability do you have that can be turned into an asset?
God is the Master of using people who seem the most unlikely candidates, the "nothings" of their world:
Moses didn't talk well,
David was the youngest and most obscure son of Jesse,
Rahab was a prostitute
Joshua was an old man
Abraham and Sarah were too old to be parents
Mary was a poor peasant
Paul was hateful and self-righteous (and a murderer).
Are you too short, too shy, too unschooled, too fat, too unattractive, too untalented, too stupid, too damaged?
God delights in using the "nothings" of this world to pour into them His glorious strength, wisdom, giftings and passion.
Liabilities mean nothing to God. In scripture, God has said many times, "Is anything too difficult for me?"
Place your liability at God's feet and see what He can do.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)
"What is impossible with men is possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
A timeless message and great encouragment.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan. Appreciate your comment.
ReplyDelete