Use Your Superpower To Help Others

Nyle DeMarco is a new rising star in the modeling industry – even though he’s deaf. Nyle didn’t see himself as handicapped when he tried out for Tyra Banks’ TV show, America’s Next Top Model. He won that competition. Then he challenged everyone’s ideas about what deaf people can do when he competed in and became the mirror ball winner on Dancing With the Stars. In one episode, he and his professional dance mentor Peta decided to present their version of a ballroom dance with a small section of silence in it. The men dancing with Nyle in simultaneous movement during the silent segment pulled it off, but they found it more difficult than they anticipated. Nyle showed that his ability to learn a dance without music was better than their ability to learn a dance without music. And Nyle did it every week. Because he turned his deafness into a superpower instead of succumbing to the pressure to see it as a weakness, he has inspired millions of people.  

Do you have an ability that sets you apart from others? When you and I stop seeing ourselves as weak, we can accomplish things no one but God could imagine. Weakness might be what others see in us, but we can succeed because of what God sees in us. 

Today’s goal is: Use your special abilities to help or inspire others. 

How can you benefit others with something you do well? Can you tutor someone who is learning a foreign language? Can you help with a neighborhood soccer team?  

I have a cousin who teaches kids to surf as a part of their Vacation Bible School experience. I have never taught kids to surf mostly because I don’t know how to surf. That’s not my superpower. I think that’s a cool ministry to be a part of, and I wish I had that talent, but I have to use whatever I do well to help and inspire others. 

If you think you don’t have a superpower, you might just need a change of perspective. Look for your superpower. Use that ability to benefit those around you. The time and effort you spend helping or inspiring others is worth it.

Be A Guest Speaker

This year in school, there will be opportunities for parents to get involved in classroom projects. Some parents volunteer to help with specific areas of interest, things they excel in or have special knowledge about.

Some retired men and women might be interested in being a guest speaker for an afternoon of interesting experiments or story-telling.

Last year, my son’s class learned about geology from one of his friends’ parents. Mr. Smith works as a geologist at an oil and gas company and took a day off to give a hands-on presentation. Thanks, Mr. Smith. You rock!

I know teachers welcome guest speakers who pique the interest of their students.

Today’s goal is: Volunteer to be a guest speaker at a local school.

Is there something you’ve studied and can share with kids in a memorable way? I’ll bet there is. Kids often find stories of an older generation fascinating. The history that was lived by their grandparents or great-grandparents stirs their imagination and brings “old facts” of history into reality.

My husband’s grandmother lived in a covered wagon during her childhood. My kids have never seen a real covered wagon. How much more does history come to life when you know someone who’s lived it?

Whether you’re an artist, geologist, chef, or a fan of classic literature, you have special knowledge that will thrill a young audience.

Dare to be a Substitute Teacher

When it’s summer and time for families to go on a vacation, what do Sunday School teachers do? Who steps in when they need to get away?

They ask for volunteers.

I used to teach Sunday School classes. My husband and I didn’t have any children at the time I was asked to substitute in the high school classroom. I’d never done that before, but I accepted the challenge.

When I wasn’t teaching in the high school class, I taught an adult class. The ages were different, but the attitude was the same. They didn’t expect perfection from me, but they did expect me to speak from my heart about real issues that they had to deal with on a daily basis. No one wanted to waste time in a class that didn't meet their needs. I wanted my words to matter to them, so I studied.

I looked up Bible verses on topics they were interested in. I wrote an outline and presented it in class. I often had a good response from them at the end of our time together.

If your child’s Sunday school class teacher needs a break or is going on a vacation, you can ask to substitute during the teacher’s absence. It wouldn’t mess you up to prayerfully prepare a lesson from your own experience.

Today’s goal is: Ask a Sunday School teacher if you can bring a lesson to give them a break for a week.

You can study the Bible to create a brief lesson based on events in your past. Maybe these were mistakes you learned from or events you had success with. The youth of today will be making the same decisions that we faced. Ultimately, they will thank us for giving them a reason to make the right decision.

If you enjoy volunteering your time, you could find out if there is a list of substitute teachers and put your name on it. Or you could find a teacher who wants to do a monthly trade-off. You could teach one month, and they could teach the next.

You will never know if you’ll like it unless you give it a try.

Be A Mentor

For a few years, I’ve been attending a writers’ critique group at my mentor’s house. She is an awesome encourager. I really listen to her suggestions to see how I can improve my skills in general, not just correct the errors.

From her I’ve learned that in order to be a mentor, you don’t have to know everything, you just have to know a lot and dare to share. She certainly knows a lot. She’s sold over a million copies of her books. But there are questions she admits to making a good guess at.

Today’s goal is: Offer to mentor someone who is learning a skill you have achieved some success at.

Teaching someone to do something you do well can be a challenge, but one with great reward. My son is learning how to do the grocery shopping. This is a skill he’ll need when he gets old enough to live on his own. I’ve shown him the Nutrition Facts label and how to prioritize the various facts. He has asked to buy a product and proven that it’s nutritious enough by comparing it to another similar product with less nutrition.

I don’t know everything about shopping and cooking, but what I do know, I share. Mentoring my son in this skill allows him to make choices that help the family. I’m sure he’ll make good decisions when he’s on his own. Learning how to shop wisely now gives him plenty of time to practice before that day comes.

Dare to Pray

Everyone has a few moments in their life when they need someone to pray with them. I’ve needed prayers, and I’m sure you have too.

My dad prayed with me for healing when I was young. My mom prayed for me when I was on vacation. My friends prayed for me during pregnancies.

The prayer time you give to another shows how much you care.

Whenever my kids and I are slowly passing through the merging traffic at the scene of an accident on the highway, I ask them to pray for those involved. I pray for the comfort of all those involved and for the healing of those in pain. I’ve been in a car wreck before, so I know to pray for the insurance paperwork to go smoothly.

We often see strangers going through stressful times. We can pray without them knowing it. But if we’ll take the time to tell someone, “I’m praying for you,” that may strengthen them for the rest of the day. God may be able to use our words to them as well as our prayer for them.

Today’s goal is: Ask someone if they’d like you to pray for them.

How many times has someone asked you to pray for them and “I will” was your response? Do you think it would anger them if you stopped what you were doing and prayed out loud right there with them? Probably not.

I sometimes have to pray right at the moment when I think of it, or I won’t think of it again.

And there are those who won’t ask for prayer, but you can see that those people need and want God to intervene in their lives. Think of the joy they'll feel when you show them just how much you care.

Kind Warnings

We all want trustworthy friendships. We want to know our friends will be there for us when we really need them. But are we there for them?

After you’ve established a good relationship with others, you can begin to deepen your relationships with a word of truth to those who need to hear it. This doesn’t work if the trust isn’t well established already.

I read an article by a woman who had changed her friend’s life by helping her update her wardrobe. The foundation of trust had already been laid in that friendship, and the woman’s offer of help was accepted.

Through the ages, God has used prophets to warn people to change their ways. Those who believed the prophets were able to make a new start. Those who ignored them dealt with the consequences.

In the Bible, Numbers 22:21-33 tells the story of Balaam’s donkey. It was supposed to go in a certain direction, but it saw danger that his owner couldn’t see. It veered from the expected path to protect Balaam. Then God opened the mouth of the donkey to speak words of warning so Balaam could understand.

If God can use a donkey, He can use me.

I accept the challenge to speak a loving word of warning, but I will only give it to those who will hear it.

My mother was overweight, so I gave her information that would help her. She listened to me and, months later, began giving away clothes to a woman’s shelter. Her loss was their gain.

Kind warnings from trusted friends and family can make you feel more secure in that relationship. I love it when someone cares enough about me to dare to give me the truth I need to hear. That makes me feel protected by someone who can see more than I can.

Today’s goal is: Dare to speak kind words of truth to someone with whom you’ve developed a relationship of trust. If you aren’t sure that anyone would listen to you, dare to strengthen those relationships.

Only from a heart of love can one speak warning so that it will be received and acted upon. Your job isn’t to make sure the gentle warning is received because you can’t control someone else’s response. You can only control what you do and say.

Be Daring

Have you ever driven an old car that broke down frequently. Usually when that happens, it means the car didn’t get as much care as it needed. Cars need maintenance. So do people.

If you value your relationship with your spouse, you have to spend some time and effort letting that person feel loved. Let them know how much you care about them.

Some people get used to being around each other, and they assume the other person knows how they feel. They might. But just as you have to change the oil in your car, you have to replace yesterdays good feelings with new good feelings for today.

Dare to do something different. Get out of the same old rut.

Spouses need relationship maintenance, but so do kids. If you constantly work late and miss your child’s special moments, figure out a plan that will transform that relationship. Dare to change your schedule to put someone else’s needs ahead of your own. Show up at your child’s school play.

Dare to love. Make sure the people around you feel loved. People thrive on affection. Who doesn’t enjoy a good hug?

Today’s goal is: Plan a special lunch with your spouse or your child. Maybe eat with your child at his school. Let them decide when and where (within reasonable limits), and then follow through.

Any relationship worth having is worth maintaining.

Challenges

Life is about growth.

Without growth in some form, people begin to die. People who enjoy life the most are the ones who stay spiritually, mentally, and physically active. They grow in their relationships. They grow in their abilities. They don’t shrink from challenges.

I dare to focus on what I can be, not what I’ve done wrong. The challenge is to look beyond my failures and see the potential. I can be more than I realize.

I want to be more friendly, caring, daring, determined, and generous. With much effort from me and much grace from God, I can do it.

It takes daring to accept the challenge. It takes determination to maintain forward progress. It takes generosity to defeat any inclination toward self-centeredness. It takes caring to move toward self-sacrifice. It takes friendliness to enlarge your community or your circle of influence.

We all know that friendships make life fun. Friends give us someone to care about and be generous to. Friends spur us on and encourage our determination. Friends are those we will dare to stand up for.

Today’s goal is: make a new friend.

Some people are shy and find it difficult to make friends. If you and I dare to speak first in an offer of friendship, it might be worth taking the risk.

You won’t have to go far to find someone who needs a friend. We all need friends. See if there’s someone who looks like they could use a shoulder to lean on.

Together, we can make a difference in this world.