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You Are More Than Others Think You Are
The Hobbit Chapter 6: “Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire”
He was right. Bilbo was more than the dwarves thought he was — which proved true again and again as the adventure unfolded, including the moment he cleverly pilfered treasure from the dragon Smaug himself.
Has your potential ever been underestimated? Have you ever let someone’s limited vision of you define you?
I have. When I was a teenager, I attended a Bible study run by a nondenominational youth ministry. Being an introvert, I sometimes offered little or nothing to the discussion. The leader was a college student, not much older than the rest of us. One day, when I was my usual quiet self, he turned to me and asked, “What do you have to say, besides nothing?” It stung. And for a time, I let it. I internalized his low expectations and wore them like a too-small coat — uncomfortable, but familiar. We lost touch over the years, and I’ve often thought that if I ran into him today, he might be surprised to learn that I went on to have a career as a minister — someone with plenty to say.
That experience taught me something important: the people who underestimate you are often simply unable to see what hasn’t fully emerged yet. Their limited vision is not the final word on who you are.
You are more than what others think you are. Sure, you have foibles and weaknesses. But you also have hidden strengths that, when discovered and utilized, can propel you further than you or anyone else ever thought possible. The key is refusing to let someone else’s ceiling become your floor.
Wilma Rudolph knew something about that. She won three gold medals in track at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome — a remarkable achievement for anyone, but especially for a woman who had battled polio as a child, leaving her with a weakened left leg and foot that required a brace until she was twelve years old. No one would have predicted gold medals for that little girl. But she didn’t let their predictions write her story. She offered this advice:
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
Bilbo didn’t know he had it in him to outwit a dragon. Wilma Rudolph didn’t let a leg brace write the end of her story. And that quiet teenager sitting in a Bible study had more to say than anyone in the room suspected — including himself. So do you.
Never underestimate the power of your dreams!
Photo by Curated Lifestyle for Unsplash+
Jim Cyr is a retired minister, a spiritual companion, and a storyteller. Learn more about Jim’s spiritual companionship and storytelling at www.jimcyr.com
