The other day, I met someone for the first time. We exchanged some "pleasantries" and I extended my hand and said "nice to meet you". Then it happened. She said something that threw me for a loop. She asked, "What are you?" Ok, I'm a little slow sometime, so my mind quickly began to race.....What am I? ..... What am I? and then it dawned on me.....she wanted to know what I did for a living.
Most women today can answer that question easily. They could say, I am a teacher. I am a nurse. I am an executive at such and such company. I am an accountant. Others could respond with any number of other "impressive" titles. I used to say I'm a stay at home mom, and I would usually insert the word "just" before the stay at home mom part, but my kids are grown now, so I couldn't really even say that.
An eternity passed as I frantically tried to come up with something that sounded interesting, impressive, like I really was SOMETHING. I stood there with my mouth gaping open, and looking like the idiot that I was beginning to really feel like. She already knew my husband was a pastor, so the old "I'm a pastor's wife" didn't really seem necessary to state. She wanted to know what "I" was, and at that moment I really didn't know! After what seemed like another eternity passed, I blurted out awkwardly, "I'm a retired stay at home mom, ...... and a grandmother, .... and I'm "just" a receptionist, ..... on Fridays at the church." (There was that word again -- "just") Then I felt even more like an idiot.
Here she was, a young "professional" and there I was, a 52 year old woman who really had no clue "what" she was. The conversation didn't last long, we repeated our "was nice meeting you" statements and we parted ways.
The question she posed still lingers in my mind. What ARE you? Now, here it is, a couple days later, and I still don't have a real answer to her question. We often evaluate the worth of a person by what title he or she holds. We consider "important" people valuable. Those in the spotlight are honored, praised, and admired. Those who hold a certain title are respected.
I've been doing the Bible Study, Gideon, by Priscilla Shirer these last couple of weeks. (Highly recommended by the way!) Gideon is a story of a man who is the least of the least. He is a man who is afraid, hiding, and working an ordinary job. It is a story of "less is more", as God whittles his army down from 32,000 to 300. It's a story of little being used by a BIG God. That's how God usually chooses to work. He takes weakness and shows His strength. He takes a few fish and loaves of bread and feeds 5,000. He takes a shepherd boy and makes him a king. He does much with little. He calls a lowly person a "Valiant Warrior"!
I've been feeling more like "less" lately. And maybe that's why her question threw me for a loop.
I know my focus shouldn't be on what others think of me. Instead of trying to impress them with WHAT I am, I know I need to concentrate on WHOSE I am, believing He can still use an insignificant, fearful, 52 year old retired stay at home mom, for His purposes and His glory.
In God's eyes I am WHAT He created me to be. So if that consists of "ordinary" things like being a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, friend, "receptionist," book reviewer, life group leader, women's ministry team member, choir and praise team member, hard worker, and for the most part, a generally nice person, --- God still sees me as valuable in His sight. Who cares if I can't sum that up into a one-word occupational answer to the question, "What are you?" --- Though I probably still need to come up with an answer so I don't have that "deer in the headlights" look in my eyes the next time someone asks me what I am. (I'm open to suggestions!!)
But until then, who knows.......Maybe the next time someone asks me, "What are you?"
But until then, who knows.......Maybe the next time someone asks me, "What are you?"
I might simply say --
I'm AMAZING
-- and leave it at that!
