by Jeanne Takenaka, @JeanneTakenaka
I’ve lost track of how many times, in my heart of hearts, I’ve yearned to make a difference in our world. As a teen, I was sure I had big things ahead of me. I just needed to discover them and do them.
Now, decades later, there are still times when I wish I could make an impact in my world, through writing, through serving, through encouraging. A glimpse from the outside of my life reveals very little “greatness.” I’m an unpublished writer-mom of teenaged boys. I don many ordinary caps in a day:
Chauffeur
Cook
Maid
Organizer
And on occasion, counselor.
These all appear insignificant from the outside.
But there’s truth in the quote: “It is more noble to give yourself completely to one individual than to labor diligently for . . . the masses.”
What if the pouring out of myself into the lives of those who live within the four walls of my home is the nobler thing?
What if, in giving up or postponing some of my dreams, is the path to greatness?
What if making choices to place my husband and our sons above myself is what equals world-changing stuff? If our sons launch into this big, scary world with the confidence that they’re loved, knowing Hubs and I have their back, does that equal greatness? If we offer them the security that they’re not alone, and even more, that they are loved by a great and compassionate God, isn’t that a bit of greatness in itself?
If God had given me some of my dreams as a younger woman, how would that have impacted my choices? Would I have two amazing sons and one incredible husband in my corner? Would I have learned the hard, humbling lessons that raising children forges into a mama’s heart?
If I had placed pursuing my dreams over loving my family intentionally, I’m not sure any of us would be doing well today.
Sometimes, greatness comes in choosing to lay aside what we want to feed the souls of those closest to us. Because it’s in learning to die to ourselves and to love others well that God fulfills that need for “greatness” within us. Sometimes, we need a perspective-shift, don’t we?
Maybe, we need to look at greatness from God’s perspective. To be great in His eyes is to emulate Him in our actions, our words, our obedience to Him. It’s to reflect His love into the lives of those around us, those He brings across our paths.
I will probably never become a household name. And that’s okay. If my name is spoken well of by my sons, if they remember me as the mother who loved them well and pointed them to Jesus. That’s greatness enough in my book.
What about you? What has come of your great dreams from your young years? What does greatness look like to you now?
Award-winning aspiring novelist, Jeanne Takenaka, writes contemporary inspirational fiction that tackles real-life issues with a heart to draw women closer to God and those around them. She lives near the mountains in Colorado with her amazing husband and two exuberant boy-men. She loves being God’s girl—always learning about His grace, hanging out with friends and enjoying a great cup of coffee. When she’s not writing you can find her with a camera in her hand, looking for #alittlebitofpretty in her days. You can connect with her on her blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.