Only One Savior

Don’t you just love it when you’re doing something innocently, like driving down the street, and the Holy Spirit whispers some deeply profound statement to you that leaves you scratching your head and questioning where did that come from? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me a few years ago as I was driving to the office. With the children at school and having the solitude of the car all to myself, I was having one of my many self-reflective moments. I had just began to approach the subject of authenticity – questioning within myself if I had finally arrived at a place where I no longer felt the need to attempt to be who others thought I should be and instead embrace who I really am. And before I could finish my thought, it was like the Holy Spirit couldn’t wait to say, “Always the savior. Never the hero.”

“Always the savior. Never the hero?” What in the world? Where did that come from and more importantly, what did it mean? As I mentally began to lift my hand to scratch my head, I was reminded of the question I was formulating right before this thought popped into my head. Authenticity… the real me versus who everyone else expects me to be.  That’s when it dawned on me that I have always been “the fixer.” Whenever something was broken, unorganized, chaotic or in disrepair; I was the one people looked to to fix it. Now that I think about it, over the course of time, as I embraced the role that I was placed in, I subconsciously began to attempt to “fix” and perfect my role as the fixer. Being the perfectionist that I was, I at some point subconsciously decided that I would fix things before they were even broken. Because I could somehow see potential problems before they manifested, I would begin to attempt to “fix” the problem before anyone ever knew there was a problem.

For decades, I played my role and I played it well. So well that many of those that I “helped” the most never even recognized it because they rarely had to experience the consequences of their choices. It was in that moment that the words of the Holy Spirit all made sense to me… Always the savior. Never the hero. Because I was “saving” people who didn’t know they needed to be saved, there was never a thank you. Because I was trying to do a job that wasn’t mine to do, I began to feel unappreciated. Because I was attempting to do for others what only Jesus could do for them, although I was working really hard, I was adding absolutely no value.

Many of us find ourselves stuck in this place at some point or another – trying to do something for others what only God can do for them. We can pray, but only God can truly protect. We can organize their space but only God can orchestrate their steps. We can suggest, but only Jesus can save. That’s right… The position of Savior is already taken and He’s not retiring or looking for someone to take His place.

He has given each one of us a specific job to do, so why do we keep trying to do His? The job that we’ve been given, is the job in which we’re graced. The place God gives us favor, is the place we’ll produce the most fruit. The people we’re called to help, is the harvest we’re equipped to bring in. If you really want to be a hero, do what it is God has called you to do, with the people He has called you to do it with, at the time He tells you to do it. When you focus on that, you’ll no longer seek a “thank you” from man, but you’ll look forward to a “well done” from your Maker.

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