{"id":2006,"date":"2010-02-16T12:27:09","date_gmt":"2010-02-16T17:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeasprayer.wordpress.com\/?p=2006"},"modified":"2010-02-16T12:27:09","modified_gmt":"2010-02-16T17:27:09","slug":"featured-guest-blogger-chad-estes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lisadelay.com\/blog\/featured-guest-blogger-chad-estes\/","title":{"rendered":"Featured Guest Blogger: CHAD ESTES!"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been enjoying Chad’s blog<\/a>, and social media shout outs for a while now; so I was quite excited, when this busy guy agreed to guest post here. It’s a joy for me to share things with readers here, including people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Chad Estes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Chad is a legend. Even \u201cBiblical Learning Blog<\/span><\/a>\u201d (at http:\/\/www.biblecollege.org) \u00a0included his blog, Captain\u2019s Blog, in their list of Top 50 Ecumenical Blogs. So, it’s really an honor to have him here.<\/p>\n

When I asked if he would be a guest blogger, Chad mentioned that wanted to share his heart, and I hope you soak in his contribution.<\/p>\n

Leave your comments, afterwards, and show him what a polite readership I am fortunate enough to have by visiting his site, and to say “thank you.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chad, Thank you!<\/p>\n

I Want You to Want Me<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-Chad Estes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0What we learned on the schoolyard playground seems to hold true in life.\u00a0Those with the mad skills are\u00a0the ones in demand. Those who can’t keep their eye on the ball, or catch an easy pop fly are picked to play\u00a0right field and bat at the end of the order. This peer rejection is like the sting of a wasp, and unless you get off the field, you will probably get hurt by the same stinger, over and over again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Adults play this same game. We want to team up with those people who benefit us, and help us win. We\u00a0do this in business and in social circles. We even do this in church. Those on the outside of our margins\u2013because of divorce, financial status, education levels, or addictive behavior issues, maynot be the first\u00a0ones invited to our home fellowships. It isn’t their children that we invite to spend the night with our\u00a0children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 But actually my thoughts about rejection aren’t about being picked last; it is the rejection that\u00a0comes from being picked first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, there is also a rejection issue with being picked first on a team because, more often than not, you are\u00a0being picked for what you can\u00a0<\/span>do<\/span><\/em>\u00a0instead of who you <\/span>are<\/span><\/em>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0This is acceptable as long as you can keep up\u00a0with the performance levels, but if your stats ever start to stumble, so will your value to the team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 It would be nice if this didn’t happen in Christian circles but unfortunately, it does.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many churches and\u00a0ministries recruit to a position based on a person’s perceived contribution value (Do they have good\u00a0speaking skills? Can they lead a team? Do they agree with my direction? Will they serve this vision?) like it\u00a0was written on stone tablets. But, when recruiting is all based on performance there will be a day when\u00a0those skills will slip, or someone, even more qualified will come along. And when our positions are\u00a0challenged, we may resort to some sort of spiritual steroids to help keep us on the field of play. The bad\u00a0thing is these unnatural growth hormones actually stunt spiritual development It’s a cheap trick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Today, I had a meeting where I was being recruited because of my ministry skills. But, as I drove home, I\u00a0realized I was actually feeling the sting of rejection even though I’d been offered a position. The recruiter\u00a0wasn’t really interested in me as much as she was interested in what I could do for her. She doesn’t really\u00a0know me, nor does she know my heart. And unfortunately with her priorities all about her vision, she\u00a0never will take the time to know what my heart is about. And so though it is a heady offer, it is a path that\u00a0leads to performing, pretending, and pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 My real value is my heart, not my skills. The skills are deteriorating with age. My heart is in the process\u00a0of being renewed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0What I really want out of this life is to be picked by someone to be on their team, or be their friend not,\u00a0because I’m a good player, or that I fit a niche, but simply because they want\u00a0to be with me.<\/span><\/p>\n

How about you?<\/span><\/p>\n