Your Ink, My Ink

Think about those little black felt-tip pens they use at Starbucks. You know, when you order your drink, it's what they use to put the instructions on the cup so they get it right.

I used a similar pen when I went to our company's off-site storage building to write down the slot numbers for where the boxes would go on the shelves.

One pen gets used in a popular, fun-loving atmosphere with a tremendous aroma of coffee wafting in the air. The other pen gets used in obscurity where most of the time the lights are out and a musty aroma of damp paper hangs in the air.

Both pens contain the same thing: Ink. But one pen is used to write drink orders. The other is used to write numbers on shelving slots.

Both you and I contain the same message: The Good News. But we don't necessarily serve with the same gift set nor in the same place.

So be unique. Celebrate who God made you. Stop envying others. As they say, "if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it's time to start watering your own grass". Let God "write" with the "ink" He put in you.

Steve Furtick spoke at the recent conference known as "The Nines" (aka #thenines on Twitter) put on by the Leadership Network. Here is an excerpt of his video:

"We live in a culture of carbon copy. Mediocrity is mass-produced, but destiny is custom designed. When you embrace the thing that makes you unique, you become powerful. We spend most of our life trying to stamp out our uniqueness. When you embrace your uniqueness, when you surrender your life to your anointing, that's when God begins to open doors."

What makes you unique in ministry leadership?

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Comments

[Bill (cycleguy)]

Not sure Scott about those Starbuck pens since I don't drink coffee and have only been in one once-to get a gift card. What makes me unique? Well, my wife says there is no one quite like me. Does that count?

[MichaelDPerkins]

This post was ridiculously awesome.

What makes me unique? I'm not 100% positive. I'd like to say that I see the beauty in obscurity.

[jasonS]

Great thoughts. What makes me unique? No one has lived the exact same experiences as me and God has used each one to shape me and lead me where I am today--good and bad. That's a magnificent God!

Thanks Scott.

[Scott Couchenour]

Bill - there is no one quite like you. that is a package only you can unpack every morning...

[Scott Couchenour]

Michael - you're absolutely right. you DO see beauty in obscurity. one example: you thought this obscure blog post was awesome.

...thanks.

[Scott Couchenour]

Good point, Jason. i remember as a worship leader encouraging the congregation to leave their experiences at the door so they could worship God without distraction. i've now come to understand that it's the very experiences that breathe life into our worship experience when we invite God into what has happened (whether what has happened was good or bad).

[herbhalstead]

wow, excellent post, Scott.

"maybe it's time to start watering your own grass" I've never heard that before - awesome!

Beyond my experiences, I really don't know what makes me unique :-) But I don't really care - I like who God is making me to be.

[Scott Couchenour]

yeah, I can't remember where I heard that saying, but it jumped out at me when I read it. Just keep being the unique person God created you to be. It's the path of greatest adventure!