I actually spoke with Andrew Mannheimer tonight, aka YT (Young and Talented) in the Hip Hop industry. I will never forget one of our conversations when I told Andrew I wanted to publish books similar to Donald Miller’s writing, but I was not sure if I could do it. Andrew told me, “He’s just a man. You are just a man. You’re really are one in the same. You can do it!” YT had a good point here. Donald Miller and every other author before him are only men. God uses average people to do incredible things. Moses might be the classic example of this. How many times did he ask the burning bush if God had the right guy? Me….huh…..are you sure? I can just see why God may have been a little perturbed at such skepticism, but eventually Moses became the chosen one who led God’s people out of Egypt pushing through the Red Sea. He was an average man who did incredible things because the Spirit of the Lord led him to do great things.
Greatness is defined by the measure of God’s Holy Spirit within you. This is a concept that nonbelievers will not understand because they look at the world from a unicellular, earthly perspective. They have trouble seeing what visionaries see because they lack the faith to see that the impossible is really not all that impossible. Every dream can be achieved. You just have to create a plan of action, and stick to the plan! Stay the course! Do not be affected by the criticism of others! What I have found is that people who criticize are often the people who are jealous of what you do because you succeed. You have a silent confidence that they have never had. Some individuals are jealous of other people’s success because usually these types of critics are miserable with their own lives. So when they see someone passionately pursuing happiness and becoming successful at doing whatever they love so much, they typically resent the pursuit of the other person. I guarantee that every leader has been criticized, cut down, and discouraged by other people, even within their own family. Some of my family members literally think I am crazy, but what’s funny about my craziness is that when I achieve a goal they told me not to pursue they jump on the bandwagon because they want to be a part of your success. Your cynics then sometimes become your largest supporters. I think that is funny how that works. Your cynics receive hope that maybe dreams are possible because they did not believe until they saw and believed in you with what they originally doubted. You silently pursued something they thought was impossible. People are inspired by your actions, not by your how much you talk. This observation is extremely evident with one of my family members. He has never learned to control his mouth. He always hurts people’s feelings, and he thinks he knows everything about everything when in fact many times he doesn’t. Unfortunately from his example and others like him, I have realized what I do not want to be like with my own family. When someone teaches you what you do not want to be that may not be the best legacy to leave when you die. At least I do not want people to think that about me when I die.
I do not want to be a know-it-all with a mouth that never stops running. First of all, other people like to talk, and sometimes they would like for you to listen. I want people to be inspired by what I do, not by what I say. Arguing never helps any situation. It seems like some of my family enjoys arguing just for the sake of a good ole’ boy Democrat and Republican rendition of an ineffective political agenda. Tony Dungy would argue that we must do what we do without questioning ourselves cognitively. Silently we must walk forward with strength where the criticism simply falls to the ground like stones hitting a steel wall. If your path is geared a 100% towards the Lord, you will soon learn that you really do not care what other people think because you only care what He thinks.
Even in my own family, all my life I have been told I would not surmount to the level of a national ministry leader. I hate to disappoint my most supportive critics, but I am well on my way to helping several hundreds and possibly thousands of people. I do not say this to brag but rather to show that anger, frustration, and hurt feelings if channeled in the right direction can be used to do incredible things. When I remember my favorite relative’s comment “you can’t have it all” from his wonderful weekend visit, I love it! I relish those words because he will see that he was wrong at the finishing line. I do not have to tell him he’s wrong. My actions will silence the haters because eventually they will ask, “How did he do that?” The answer is rather simple: “God.”
I have thoroughly enjoyed YT’s outlook on life. He believes in the infinite, and he really seems to have this one audience mentality of rapping because the Lord has clearly called him to do it. The Lord has called me to do some writing, to take some photos, and to do some event planning. My projects and my ideas are large, but more and more people are seeing that God is honoring my path to serve him. Everyone is attached to a dollar bill, but what I am realizing is that the more you give to God the more his blessings fall upon you.
So my request for the haters is simple: Please believe….not because I don’t believe but because you don’t!
