| “ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid…” |
| —2 Timothy 1:7a |
For someone who has had to speak to more than 500 different groups of people during my professional career, including one group of three thousand, I am actually painfully shy. I have great difficulty in making eye contact with those to whom I am speaking. Because of my shyness, I would much rather speak to a large group than to a smaller group. In larger groups, it is harder for those listening to tell whether or not I am looking at them, as my head turns and my eyes rove across them just above their heads.
Yes, those who have closer contact with me will agree it’s also true, when I attend virtually any kind of class, that I am likely to often speak out all too boldly at those times when I become frustrated with what’s being taught. Furthermore, it’s true that I am annoyingly confident about the knowledge I have regarding a wide variety of subjects.
Nevertheless, inspite of these seemingly paradoxical behaviors, I remain painfully shy, especially in social situations. My most dreaded business event was the cocktail party. Please let me explain:
For one thing, I do not drink alcoholic beverages. But, I have no negative or judgmental feelings regarding those who do drink such beverages. I have just made it a life-long practice to never drink alcoholic beverages.
Secondly, I’m not at all good at “small talk” or, as I like to think of it, “conversational torture.” I am very interested in people and like to hear their stories. But, I am not a good “social conversationalist.”
Thirdly, I have virtually no interest in sports. You see, my father was not at all interested in sports, so I never caught the “sports bug.” As a teenager, I would much rather work on a piece of electronic equipment than watch sports on television. This lack of interest in sports means I have little to talk about with most other men.
All of these details represent my attempt to explain to you some of the nature of my painful shyness and timidity, particularly in social situations. Oddly, I have literally no nervousness in talking to a large group. And, I have no nervousness talking on the radio. Obviously, I also have no shyness about communicating with others in writing.
Just don't ask me to socialize with people unless I know them well, or have some driving need to wish to get to know them. Oh, I can “fake it” for a little while. But, I’m almost always the first one to leave a party—that is presuming you can get me to attend that party in the first place.
With this background, imagine my surprise when I first read the Apostle Paul’s words to his son-in-the-faith, Timothy, found in 2 Timothy 1:7:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Even though I’m painfully shy and, therefore, timid—particularly in social situations—I’m grateful that whatever inertia I have to rise above my timidity comes from God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has equipped me with power beyond timidity.
Long ago I realized that all that I am and all that I have has come to me as a gift from God who loves me. And, I am so very grateful! This is true for you dear ones, too. God has equipped us with power beyond timidity.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Please join me in thanking God this day for the precious gift of His Holy Spirit, who gives us the ability to overcome our natural human timidity and who will infuse us with every quality we need to serve God and represent Him well to those He brings into our lives.
Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, February 5, 2016
