Is there anyone good at being an imposter? Putting forward an image that you really are not or filling up a position that you know you’re not qualified for. Maybe we’re being a little too harsh on ourselves, but if we’ve ever struggled with a less-than-qualified psyche, then you’ll know what I’m talking about.
I’ve a little confession to make. Last week I spoke passionately about raising kids. I share different things that we need to pass on to our children and how we can do those things. At the end of the services on Sunday, I went home and over a small matter, blew up at one of my boys. I’ll spare you the trivial details because it was trivial. The blow up was epic though. The end result, I felt horrid. I felt unqualified, hollow, hypocritical and like an imposter.
I’ve been thinking about it since then. Seeking to do my own post-mortem on the episode and to evaluate what I need to change and the boundaries I need to set over my own life. I’ve made the confession to the staff and everyone has been more than gracious to console and encourage. But if you’ll permit me to share a few thoughts. They’re not meant to absolve me of my mistake and you’re still free to throw stones at me. But I reckon that most of us need to hear what I’m about to say because I suspect there’s an imposter lurking in all our lives.
1. It Comes with Sticking Your Neck Out
Speak about something and you’ll risk having that area scrutinised in your life. Still, there are some things that needs to be said. If we’re focused on getting the work done and doing the right thing, there are somethings we’ll need to say.
In truth, we can never be perfect. But that has nothing to do with speaking what’s right. Just don’t be judgmental and critical because our own flaws enable us to communicate something with compassion and grace.
2. God Picks the Unqualified
God picked a slave to become a ruler (Joseph). He finds someone with an identity crisis (Jacob) to give identity to His nation (Israel). He calls a coward a “mighty man of valour” (Gideon). He looks for a barren couple way past the age of child-bearing to become the father and mother of nations (Abraham and Sarah). Need I go on?
Perhaps it isn’t such a bad thing to feel unqualified? Perhaps then it makes it all about God. In any case, if you think you’re actually qualified and that you got to where you are by pure meritocracy, then you’re most likely disqualified anyways.
3. Time to Drop the Tag
This is the modus operandi – “Forgetting what lies behind, pressing onwards to what is ahead.” Forget the tags, the insufficiency, the self-doubt and the self-condemnation. Time spent on these things gets us nowhere. The devil couldn’t be happier to get us all tripped up on these things. Instead, let’s get down to doing the work. Doing better. Rectifying what needs to be corrected. Authenticity is powerful.
To my fellow “imposters”, don’t stay down. Let’s press on towards the upward call of Christ.
