I Am A Left-Hand Man.

I Am A Left-Hand Man. 

If this sounds strange to you, you are in good company. It took me a while to accept it myself. Yet curiously, I am not left-handed. I write with my right hand, kick with my right foot, and sight with my right eye. My life is what is left-handed. Let me explain it this way. Think about what the left hand does for a right-handed person. It holds the nail while the right hand hammers; all the while hoping the right hand hits the “right” nail. It holds the book while the right hand points out the interesting parts.  It holds out the award while the right hand gets to shake the famous person’s right hand. It stays at the side during a right-handed salute. It holds the wallet while the money is pulled out, yes, by the right hand. If a finger gets cut while preparing a meal, it will be on the left hand. It takes the impact of the baseball while the short stop’s right hand gets credit for a “nice out” at first base. Basically, it supports everything the right hand does.

When I turned 40, I did my usual “where am I?” personal survey. At first I was disappointed in the things I hadn’t achieved.  I hadn’t written a best seller. I still didn’t have my Master’s degree. I had put myself heart and soul into  raising my 5 children. After some soul searching, God helped me realize that my ministry was not really about me, but to use my talents to support others.

This was tremendously freeing. Think about Obed. What do we know about him? He was the son of Boaz, and the father of Jesse, David’s father. He lived; he died. He may have done some amazing things; he may have lead a completely boring life. Yet if he had not done all the things a human father must do to support his family, there would be no David. And since Jesus was to be from the line of David, there would be no Joseph to raise Jesus. Obed’s real job was to make sure the line continued.

So it’s not about me, it’s about all the others I’m supposed to support. Are you frustrated by your lack of noticeable achievement? Maybe you are one of God’s supporting characters. Don’t be disappointed! You are more important than you will ever know.