In his NYT obit/appraisal of Luciano Pavarotti, Andrew Tommasini wrote:
"Yet ultimately, for all that Mr. Pavarotti gave to opera, it’s hard to avoid feeling that he never completely fulfilled his potential, that he squandered some of his awesome talent by letting his enablers turn him from a hard-working artist into an overindulged and sometimes clownish superstar"
Someday it will be our Lord, and not Andrew Tommasini, who judges us. That will both be good and bad! What if this is His appraisal of me?
"Yet ultimately, for all that Beth Bilynskyj gave to Me, it’s hard to avoid feeling that she never completely fulfilled her potential, that she squandered some of her gifts by letting her enablers turn her from a hard-working Christian into an overindulged and sometimes clownish woman."
As Paul would say, Me genoito!
Lord,
Forgive me for playing fast and loose with gifts you have given me. Give me the discipline to develop them for You.
Forgive me for enabling others not to be all You intended. Help me to recognize their gifts, and if I cannot be part of their development, get myself out of Your way.
Form me so that I will no longer be stinkingly self-indulgent, but a sweet-smelling sacrifice to you.
May the world consider me a fool, but help me to discover and live your Wisdom."
In Jesus' name, and for His kingdom,
Amen.
Required Reading:
- James
- Revelation 2-3
- "Leaf by Niggle," a short story by J.R.R. Tolkien
- John Donne, "A Hymn to God the Father'
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