Embracing Your God-Given Niche

“So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

Did you ever get sick of being asked that question as a youngster? I did. As an adult, in retrospect, I see it as a loaded question. What I mean is that the implications are twofold. First, at what age is it appropriate to stop asking someone this question? Is it insulting to ask a person this when they are beyond, say, their teen years??? Second, what if they are already satisfied with their lot in life? Does such a question imply that the need to grow up still exists? In both cases, the one asking the question is, by implication, supposing another person has some growing up to do before they become who some third party intended them to be.

So, this got me thinking…

Who are we to question another person’s lot in life? If this audacity exists in us, is it fair to say that it may very well be the cause of our own insecurities? Are we anxious about our own success, or perceived lack thereof? I guess what I’m saying is that the older I get, the less I like the opening question. However, instead of just throwing stones, allow me to propose a solution.

Find the niche God intended for you and be happy. Be satisfied.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing.
Tah-dah!!!

It’s really that simple as far as the Word of Truth is concerned. The Bible tells us that God has created each one of us unique. Since God never makes mistakes, knowing that we are “wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) means we can rest assured that, regardless of our talents, God is pleased as long as we’re grateful for whatever grace we’ve been shown.

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Sadly, this is a complete change in perspective for many believers. It begins with recognizing that God has made each of us just the way He wanted. Regardless of what others may think or say about us, we must cling to this fact. Our peace depends upon it; for if we adopt what others think about us as true, we are now in bondage to their opinion. No one should have that power over us (except God, of course, since His opinion is the only one that matters).

Self-esteem is never really a function of what others think (well, it shouldn’t be). Heck, the word “self” is contained in the expression, implying we are the de facto person involved in esteeming ourselves, not others. As long as we agree with the Lord’s assessment (e.g., we are “wonderfully made”), then we abide in peace. It isn’t until we are duped into allowing others to have influence over our self-esteem that we suffer.

Let’s take this one step further…

We humans have a propensity for tying our self-esteem to our niche in life. Some cultures, like in Hindu society, maintain a structured caste system, which is described by Google as classes “distinguished by relative degrees of ritual purity or pollution and of social status.” I’ve been to India multiple times in my life and the effects of the caste system are pervasive. I’m not picking on the Hindus, just making a point that man’s flesh always tends towards social stratification.

Again, such things are counter to God’s will for His creatures. Indeed, He has made us all different. However, the righteous response is to embrace each other, for we each have a unique purpose!

Diversity is one of God’s greatest gifts. Yet, man, in his flesh, has managed to pervert it, making it a cause for stumbling rather than celebration!

I’ll give you a good example of accepting one’s God-given niche. Until God says to me (He likely won’t ever) that He wants me to be a billionaire, I don’t want to be. Sure, we all fantasize about what we’d do with all that money, but the truth is that without God’s blessing, it’s a curse! I really enjoy not being cursed - LOL! In this sense, I like my God-given niche just the way it is! I don’t want to ruin the peace I have by longing after something the world might call a “blessing” but my God calls a “curse.”

This is all well and good, but accepting it requires a little something called faith.

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
…

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
…

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.
OK, let me make my point here…

God gives each of us just the right amount of talent to function in whatever niche He has created for us. We are “wonderfully made” to enjoy a life of peace, but it very much depends upon our acceptance of who we are. For example, some of us have been given tremendous faith to face rejection through evangelism and never lose heart. Others may see people suffering and, without fail, lend a helping hand. Still others may exercise spiritual gifts that some might even question as being a blessing at all. To each their own!

If we abide in God’s viewpoint, we have the same love He has toward His children. Does He love one child more than the next simply because society esteems one social class over another? May it never be - “Let love be without hypocrisy” (v9)! In fact, we are called to pursue unity in the Body of Christ, embracing diversity, for this is God’s will.

Those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Let’s consider the practical side of this now. Over- and under-achievement take on a whole new meaning once we embrace diversity through a divine lens. We no longer strive to elevate and/or separate from our peers, but rather we strive for grace (reminds me of the song By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North). We strive for love void of hypocrisy, which means to accept ourselves as well as others as they are, in Christ. We begin by understanding that God has placed us into a life where success brings glory to Him, and this is accomplished “according to the proportion [of] faith” He’s chosen to give us, as individuals. Therefore, something like over-achievement (stepping outside of one’s niche) becomes an aberration, not something to be celebrated.

We rightly posit that success in God’s eyes is identifying with and then living in our own niche. If our self-esteem is influenced by anything, it ought to include the proximity of our lives to that which God has willed for us. To whatever degree we’ve wandered from this reality, it is to that same degree that we lose peace.

Embrace diversity knowing that you are an elemental component of it. Without you being “you,” and others failing similarly, where does this leave diversity, for diversity’s sake? Find your niche and find your peace!

What do I want to be when I grow up? Pleasing to the One who created me and gave me this beautifully unique life to live.

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins