WEDNESDAY'S WORD - AMBIDEXTROUS - Sadell Bradley -10/07/2020

 

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD

AMBIDEXTROUS

Sadell Bradley

10/06/2020

"My high-school coach Tony Reginelli was kind of famous for 'Reggie-isms,' kind of like 'Yogi-isms.' He always said if you want to be a good quarterback, when sprinting left you want to be amphibious and throw left-handed. I told him, 'You mean ambidextrous, coach?" - Peyton Manning

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AMBIDEXTROUS means to use the right and left hands equally well. Peyton Manning described ambidexterity as valuable for quarterbacks. It is desirable in the NBA to dribble, drive, and shoot with either hand. Ambidextrous people can write with both hands simultaneously. They don't have a dominant hand. Only 1% of the population is ambidextrous. Many started as left-handed, but developed ambidexterity because of the stigma on left-handedness (people thought it was a sign of witchcraft...I know...absurd). Some feel the need to build their right-handed skills because most of society caters to that hand. Still others develop ambidexterity after injuring their dominant hand. What would it be like to teach yourself to use your weaker hand and build it to the point that it equals your dominant hand?

SOCIAL DEXTERITY Life requires a good amount of social dexterity. As they say, "Adapt or die." African-Americans and other minorities learn to navigate both our own and the dominant culture. Women become proficient at living in 'a man's world.' Christ followers engage a society that they are 'in' but not 'of.' (John 15:19; 17:14) Paul said he chose to adapt in order to win people to Christ, "When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law." (1 Corinthians 9:20)

STRENGTHEN THE WEAK SIDE

God wants to use our weaknesses. Our society is mostly concerned with strengths. Paul was extraordinarily gifted, righteous, and educated. He had everything going for him, except...his weakness. Paul asked God to remove this 'thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan' three times. The answer was...No, I'm going to give you My grace for that weakness. I'm going to show My strength and power through your non-dominant hand. You're going to feel really uncomfortable at first, but eventually you'll glory in the weakness so that the power of Christ can rest on you. Then you'll begin to identify your weaknesses as strengths, so lean in. (2 Cor. 12:5-10) When I allow God to develop my weak areas, I become mentally, emotionally and spiritually 'ambidextrous.'