Dance With The One Who Brung Ya…
This phrase has been stuck in my head for the past few days. I believe that it can be interpreted several different ways…In football it typically means, stick with the plays that work, the plays that you know, the ones that got you where you are…But for the past few days, my head has been circling some different thoughts on this aged quote.
“Dance with the one who brung ya”
One that stands out most right now in my mind is not forgetting who helped me, or what helped me get to where I am today…or furthermore, who or what is influencing my “tomorrow success”.
People get so caught up in themselves that they forget where they came from..They forget who “brung em” to this dance that they are enjoying so much… I am reminded of the hit show, American Idol but the example transcends most any profession. When the contestants on American Idol come in, in the beginning, most are so humble and concerned about making a good first impression…then after they are affirmed by a vote, or a compliment, or promotion… they begin to believe their own hype and you see a transformation, even a paradigm shift and an arrogance begins to show its face…There is a loss of a type of innocence that was there in the beginning as they begin to get stars in their eyes and forget who they were just a few short months/weeks/days ago and begin to believe they “are” who people say that they are…
Like I said, I have seen it in nearly every profession that I have been associated with…Even Ministers. I have been privileged to personally meet and serve in different capacities some of the most well known ministers in the world at different times in my life and ministry. Some have astounded me with their gracious sense of selflessness, literally showing me how Jesus probably was with people, and others…Well, let me just say, I think they believe their own hype and don’t remember where they came from…
I am not saying this to dog on anyone in particular, or to put down ministers, I am only pointing out that people are people, and some let what God has brought them through or to, GO TO THEIR HEAD… Forgetting where we came from is hazardous…Hazardous to our relationships, Hazardous to our influence, Hazardous to our progress…The bible says that a man reaps what he sows. If you sow disrespect or lack of love, arrogance, etc…You will reap the harvest of Disrespect and animosity from others…and that can’t be healthy.
I think it’s important to just consider the fact that we are all people, and promotion comes from the Lord…Period. Not because we are anyone special, just chosen to complete a specific task…Not every position on the football team is a “Glory Position”…meaning the Backs and Receivers usually get more props than the line, but the backs and receivers would never get their props if not for their line paving the way for their success…and we need to remember that no one is “self made.” Someone, somewhere has been influential in everyone’s success and ULTIMATELY God was at the center of their success coming into fruition.
God brought you to this dance that is your life, if you have reached a point of being blessed, remember where you came from, and also remember that without love the bible says that you are just a noise maker with a lot of clang and clamor but no real substance…If you think you are somebody special because of how you are gifted you better wise up…Your arrogance will be your demise…
You are who you are not because you are anyone special, not because of anything you could do, not because of any particular talent that you hold…You are who you are because God has blessed you with the ability to do what he has purposed you to do…Realize this and apply it before it costs you more than you would want to give…This lesson nearly cost me my life December 14th, 2006…I almost didn’t learn it until it was too late…God’s grace has kept me and strengthened me through this learning process, but in hindsight, I wish I could have learned it “His way” instead of having to go through immense fire, leaving me scarred (literally) to learn it…
I am not at all saying that God placed me in a spot to have people take my life to teach me a lesson…I take full responsibility for being in the wrong place at the wrong time…In fact He tried to tell me 3 different times that something was wrong and I wouldn’t listen. (that is another blog for the future) I really do not want to debate the will of God on this issue, but just let it be understood that I was too arrogant to hear the voice of God on the issue of remembering where I came from and who my confidence should be in as opposed to being confident in my own abilities before the attack and after being humbled and everything that I had “personal confidence” in was ripped from under me, I realized that I am alive for one reason…
God preserved my life on a day that most probably would not have come home and without Him, I am nothing and would be dead…He created me with my giftings and to take credit for something he did, ultimately steals his Glory…I am who I am because HE made me that way…I can take no credit…I can only thank Him for His faithfulness and goodness…
I learned a valuable but difficult lesson that I should have been able to learn from the Word of God but I was too full of AARON to hear it…So I leave you with this quote
Any fool can learn from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others…Will you learn from my mistake? I pray you will…GOD IS FAITHFUL, BUT I PROMISE, IF YOU DO IT YOUR WAY IT WILL BE MUCH HARDER!!!
MAN!!! MY GOD IS FAITHFUL!!! THANK YOU LORD FOR YOU FAITHFULNESS TO ME!