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Who am I? (8)
Enthusiasts: Enthusiasts are the life and soul of the party. They’ve often got the gift of storytelling, but can fall into the trap of only talking about themselves. If we try to talk to them about their problems, they may listen to us at first, but it doesn’t seem to stick. They are the kind of people who are always saying things like ‘awesome,’ ‘wow,’ ‘fabulous,’ or ‘great.’ So they are great to boost morale and to give encouragement when someone does something well. But sometimes they can go for years without seeing the pain and darkness in other people, or even in themselves. If we’re enthusiasts, we have to make sure we also have some degree of realism. We need to be aware of the situations people are going through. Encouraging them is great, but sometimes it’s not what’s needed in that particular situation or at that particular time. The Bible says: ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn’ (Romans 12:15 NIV). Sometimes we need to take the time to cry with people, to meet them where they are and to let them experience their emotions, rather than always trying to encourage them to keep going and keep positive. We need to be sensitive to the situation. When we’re enthusiasts, we can get quite down when we’re not receiving enough attention from others. But we shouldn’t always need to be the centre of attention. The Bible says: ‘Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.’ If we’re enthusiasts, we need to grow in putting others before ourselves.
What Now?
If you’re an enthusiast, memorise Romans 12:10 and repeat it to yourself every time you feel the need to be the centre of attention. If you’re not, pray for those who are. Ask God to help them break free from their pattern sins.
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