Hiding Your Light
Do you ever downplay a talent or skill you have, for the sake of ‘humility’? Do you sing quieter? Sketch messier? Hold yourself back?
Why?
Growing up in the church, I remember hearing a lot about pride. Pride comes before the fall. It’s the sin God hates most of all. All these things are true, to an extent. But I think sometimes, we don’t define the difference between acting in pride and just being who God created you to be.
Every person is different.
We all have things we’re good at and we all have things we’re bad at. Sometimes, especially with people who have creative talents, we downplay what we’re good at and we up-play what we’re bad at—for the sake of ‘not being prideful’.
“Oh, no, it’s really not that great,” the artist says at the masterpiece they’ve spent the past seventeen hours pouring into. “It’s not done yet.”
But, just like our salvation is a light to the world, which we should not hide, perhaps our talents and skills fall into the same category. Perhaps God gave us our talents to shine! Perhaps, in us using our talents and shining, God is glorified.
My Struggle
This is probably what I’ve struggled with the most since moving to Ohio. In the past, my writing was my biggest secret. I hid it from everyone. It wasn’t ‘good enough’ to share. It wasn’t ‘good enough’ to make an impact or to do whatever it is I wanted my writing to do. I didn’t think I was good enough to be used, to be helpful. I worried that, because my writing wasn’t perfect, it would harm rather than help.
(And, let’s be honest, by hiding my writing, I was protecting my pride. If I hid it, nobody else could confirm my secret fear: That I sucked at it.)
But since when did something have to be perfect for God to use?
There is freedom in Christ. There is freedom in being who God created you to be! So let’s stop holding ourselves to a standard of perfect. Let’s stop downplaying our talents for ‘the sake of humility’. Let’s just create, draw, sing, dance—whatever it is that you’re gifted in. Don’t hold yourself back because of fear or pride.
Speaking of holding ourselves back…
I had a short-story published on The Pearl, way back in March! I didn’t share it back then on my blog, because I was scared. But, recently, a friend drew a beautiful picture for it! (Check out her instagram here! She’s got some great stuff). So, this is a perfect opportunity to share it with you guys now.
Here’s the first paragraph and the picture!
Nothingness by Alli Prince
She paused, suspended in the depths of the sea. The clear water swirled around and faded into a light then dark blue that churned into the impending darkness below and beyond. There was nothingness around her, and nothingness below her, and even still nothingness above. Broken seashells scattered across the desolate ocean floor, buried in tiny granules of sand and rock.
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