Not Larry (The Drive)

Chevalier

I'll admit right now that this idea is ripped off and I don't remember from whom. So imagine a citation here.

Part of "The Drive" is to be something that you are not. And those of us in my generation think this is the worst sin imaginable. They say "don't let the man keep you down, believe in yourself. It doesn't matter what anyone else says" Well they are morons and probably watch a lot of American Idol.

But wanting to grow into something you aren't yet isn't a bad thing. I could want to be like Larry Crabb and write great books that help a lot of people. Or I could try to be more like people I actually know. I could try to be like my professor, Tim Herrman, who is one of the most sincere and compassionate people I know. Or I could try to be faithful and determined like Sam from Lord of the Rings.* And doesn't being a "Christian" mean being a "Little Christ?"

So I'm not arguing against trying to better yourself. Having good role models and admiring qualities that honor God is a good thing. But I often times find myself beat down when comparing myself to others. Try as I might I'm just not going to be the next Larry Crabb, the next Tim Herrman, or even the next Samwise Gamgee.** But I think we Christians could waste our whole lives away not being people instead of being ourselves.

When I get to Heaven I think the real disappointment will not be God asking me "Why were you not Larry?" but rather "Why were you not Steve?"

What am I suggesting then? "Be comfortable with your sins"? In the words of the apostle Paul "May it Never Be!"

What then? I suggest at least owning your own strengths and weaknesses. You can make your strengths stronger and your weaknesses less weak, but you can't pick and choose them. Guilt is a sign of an impossible goal, and chosing to be another person is an impossible goal. So if your goal is to be Larry Crabb or Jim Tressel or Mighty Mouse or Moses you are going to be one guilty dude. I will not be driven by that.

*I propose that Sam is actually the protagonist of that series....discuss amongst yourselves.
**My ol' Gaffer never took much to blog writin' but I figure he's a reading this right now.