Every once in a while I come up with a great idea and no one will be around for me to say it to. Sometimes I’ll be walking to school and start laughing out loud there by myself and I wish I could tell my funny joke to someone else. Other times I’ll be sitting in class and I’ll have such a brilliant idea about the text, and I’ll put my hand up over and over again and for some reason the professor skips over me.
I have this never ending desire to be noticed. Other times I’ll already being getting noticed but I desire to make the reason even bigger of why I should be getting notice. Something like this happened last night, and (this is why I love my friends) one of my friends called me on my prideful bluff and did his ‘hilarious’ slow clap like he was applauding for me, but not really because it’s almost like sarcasm with his hands.
When I have a dream or a good ‘idea’ I always want to tell everyone. I’m starting to realize that I probably don’t just want to tell everyone because I’m genuinely excited (thought I usually am) about it but more or less because I want to be recognized about my future accomplishments or creative ideas. My friend once told me, Dom Ruso, that a vision from God should be kept to ourselves at its beginning stages. Like Nehemiah and the wall. He got a vision from God and he didn’t tell anyone for a certain amount of time and went and inspected the wall, and waited before he told anyone. He ended up being one of the greatest leaders of the Bible.
I’m starting to learn about the importance of not spouting of my mouth about my future, or visions or dreams to everyone all the time. There is a reason why Christ says to pray and give in secret. He understands how it can get to one’s head if everyone knows how much you pray and how much you can give. The same is true for anything. If I am always spouting of my mouth about what I’m doing trying to draw attention to myself, well that is my reward and it gets to my head. I sincerely don’t want my reward to be the glory of a few moments of someone thinking I’m cool.
So next time that there is this idea that everyone should have seen or known about maybe I’ll keep it to myself and let God mold it into a bigger and better idea without me ruining the beginning stages of it. When it’s supposed to be storing itself up in my heart and working out the details I hope I have the discernment when to share that and when to keep it to myself. I want to help change things like Nehemiah did. Then eventually follow Christ’s instructions “No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” (John 7:4)
Oh Nathan, I find that this Silas character to be oh so very noble. Shes so right and it was defiantly a bastard comment! I loved it. I mean, if you want to look at it deeper, your whole website consists around you telling everyone what you think and what God has been showing and doing with you. Its kind of like youre on line trophy wall.
But to be frank, I love the site. I find to often you can always get a two sided coin when it comes to scripture. You can always find some line that makes what youre talking about oh so righteous. I think what you want to focus on is your intentions when you speak.
I think at first you started this website to say wow, I cant believe I have my own domain. Once you got over that shock you then realized that this can be an effective communication tool, which it is and will continue to be. It has sparked many a conversation.
You could even argue that the only reason you go to school is so that you can share with people what you learned isnt that selfish? Shun on you Nathan. Why do you want to go around showing everyone how educated and smart you are? The truth is you have a desire to help and change the world. Unfortunately youre going to have to share that vision over and over and over again. I was reading a thing about running a successful organization and it comes down to: create a vision, sell the vision and execute the vision.
I dont think people are going to get annoyed with you when all you talk about is God, what He wants with you and the world. I think you will be a pain in the ass if all you do is talk a good days work.
I love yah buddy. Come home so you can brag to me about what God is showing you. You know I always want to hear it. Woo.
Nate, Steve feels really bad about not taking your place. I think you should run with it and suck it for all its worth. I can see like free food and drives to and from home. There is nothing like guilt to encourage giving and sacrifice. Just a heads up. Love You.
I think a large part of it is that we do sometimes get very excited when God reveals something to us. Having the discernment to know when to share and when to shush is the key.
Most of us struggle with this I think. The humbling part is when the Lord reveals this little thing to us and we get excited and start blabbing and then we discover our interpretation is not what God had intended it to be. This is where you get to extract foot from mouth.
Much love to you bro! It’s hard to be quiet about our ideas, or when someone is taking the credit for a thing you’ve worked together on. Personally, I think it’s more joyous to be in anonymity knowing only the Lord understands and knows.
May God help us to shut-up when we need to, and to speak forth when it’s time!
hey nate…
guy loved that entry… ya know it is sooo true… we try to convince ourselves that you just want to tell everyone about your idea and your thoughts and most of the time it is ligit… but in the back of our minds we do look for that recognition…
it is stupid to really stop and think about it…. I am the same way… ya try to crack that joke louder then everyone else… or shoot up that hand with the liberal and politically correct answer to that easy question the sunday school teacher just asked… but that is something we all have to grow out of… even those who have been in church for years are guilty of it… i think it is partly human nature…
I respect you just for the fact that you recognize it in yourself… most of us dont want to even admit stuff like that… i know i dont… but God has a plan for all of us and there are times when we need to keep things to ourselves BUT ther ARE times when we should share… it is just getting to that place with God to know when to speak and when not to speak… basically just allowing Christ to speak the things he wants others to hear from us…
maybe i am way out on a limb on that one… but that is just what i believe…
Nate, ya know i dont agree with a lot of things you believe… and i am sure that is vice-versa… i know sooo many people who are against what you might believe but one thing i do know is that not many of those who judge are quick enough to actually admit that hey… im guilty myself of something similar… most people dont have the guts to admit the things you do know and then and you of all people along with myself and others are at that time in our lives where all we want is the right answers and we want to know who God is and what he wants and what is truth and what isnt… and all we can do is just keep on pressing on… even when we are wrong, when others judge, when it seems like nothing is going right… we just gotta keep on pressing in and trusting and knowing that God will work things out for his good… and correct us if we are wrong and correct others if they are wrong… but we need to get back to the time of loving each other no matter what… of course we need to chastise each other but in love… and we need to accept it in love…
I know God has a plan for your life and i know that you are a leader and if it means anything Nate… if half of us had the passion and push that you do… maybe the church would be in a better position… no you arent perfect… but you do have ideas and you do have a heart… and i believe that is all God needs… and in HIS time he will make you into the Man he created you to be and he will convince you of what HIS truths are… and those visions and ideas you DO have that no one else can see or hear… they WILL come to pass in HIS time…
Love ya man,
Thanks for times of talks and also for many many nights of sleep…:-)
Hahaha, i guess if this is considered an idea, i did it again. I actually thought about that one, but then i decided that i wasn’t. So you’re wrong, and i’m right, did everyone hear that????
hey there,
…i dont know u and u dont know me. but that wont stop me from knowing people that i dont know just because i want to get to know people i dont know….i dont know what im talking about but i know that im bored. nice to meet you even though i dont know you.
lori
Me Again. Just wanted to comment on your blog. Keep striving bud. I can clearly see the benefits of your decision and it inspires me to judge myself and my motives. On the other hand though, coming from a bastard friend, Isn’t telling everyone your idea about not telling anyone your ideas anymore kinda contradictory. I love you still.
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