Do I Have What It Takes? (a different story about an island)
I love the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks. When he is first stranded on the island, the Hanks character is a Fed-Ex executive just struggling to survive. Then there is this scene of a fish that is suddenly impaled by a spear.
The camera tilts up to reveal the Hanks character is now bearded, thinner and a master of the island. Months, if not years, have passed. He has been there a while and proven to be strong in heart, soul, mind and strength.
The whole time I am watching I keep asking myself, “Do I have what it takes?”
That question has stuck with me for years. Sure, I wonder if I could survive stranded on an island. But that question comes up all the time in my real areas of life.
- Do I have what it takes to be a loving husband?
- Do I have what it takes to do a great job as a dad?
- Do I have what it takes to lead our ministry well?
- Do I have what it takes to really make a difference in life?
On a spiritual level we know that as believers we have the power of the Holy Spirit and that through Christ we can accomplish all things. I don’t want to take that for granted.
But I think even those who follow Christ long to know that they have what it takes to accomplish the big challenges in front of them.
Isn’t that why we …
- climb mountains, run marathons, bike across the country …
- put in the extra hours at work, go for our graduate degree, apply for that promotion …
- learn to paint, create music, write a book or a blog …
We want to know that we are able … competent … determined … strong …
I think guys especially get consumed with this question. Weekly and maybe even daily. There is some part of life that we want to conquer. That we want to say, “I had what it took” to get that done.
Maybe girls do too.
It would be interesting to hear what questions you think are deeply rooted in us. Are they the same or different for guys and girls?