They will tell you:
Play to your strengths not your weaknesses.
Don’t work on your weaknesses, if so, you’ll avoid hitting your full potential.
The cost of improving your weaknesses is far grater than focusing on your strengths.
Keep to your strengths.
Focusing on your strengths is good advice as along as your strengths are strengths within a system that is getting the work done.
But whenever the culture shifts (every generation or two) and the system is no longer accomplishing its original purpose, the necessary strengths of yesteryear–the ones in which we continue to train subsequent generations–are no longer the strengths they once were. Those strengths are now limitations.
It takes great courage not only to recognize this but to change. No more more of what we know, time for faithful-doing. “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it” (Proverbs 22:3, ESV).
To hold constant today means more familiarity, stability, comfort, and kudos from those who continue to value the good ol’ days. You can still coast a while on your strengths, but one day change will come and will be even more difficult to make.
Better to recognize the limitations of our strengths now and pioneer a new path, developing the new necessary system and new strengths.
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Much of the 4 billion live in honor-shame societies. However, many of us in the West have not recognized this when it comes to our preaching. Last week on Strike the Match, Werner Mischke and I discussed this matter and his new book The Global Gospel. Subscribe and listen: iTunes | Android | RSS