ODJ: show up
July 16, 2011
Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking in a lame foot (v.19).
READ: Proverbs 25:13-28
My colleague missed the deadline for submitting his part of our project. When we asked our leader how long I should wait, he told me to turn in what I had put together, for my partner would probably never come through. "It's unfortunate," he said, "but he isn’t dependable." "Not dependable" is a terrible tag. We may be attracted to star qualities such as beauty and brains, but a person will most likely value our characteristic of faithfulness. Consider the friends and co-workers you cherish. They may not be the flashiest or most successful, but you treasure them because you know you can count on them. They always show up. Mark was a rising star in the early Christian church, but he bailed on Paul and Barnabas midway through their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13). Paul refused to take Mark on his second trip, for the job was hard enough without having to worry about having a quitter on board (Acts 15:37-38). Proverbs 25:19 says that an unreliable person is like a "lame foot". A bad leg may look fine when you're sitting down, but it wobbles and might even collaspe when you stand up and try to walk. I think unreliable people are more like broken legs, which always let you down. How about you? You can't choose your God-given gifts, but you can choose to simply show up. When a potential employer checks your references, do they say you're dependable? Do you always follow through? It's not too late. As Paul languished in a Roman dungeon, he told Timothy: "Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11). Mark finally showed up, and Paul leaned on him in the end. -Mike Wittmer
Some people are undependable because they're lazy while others are too afraid to try. What's your biggest obstacle to being reliable, and how can you overcome it?
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