JOATMON…ever heard of him? You probably have but most likely not spelled out this way. Looking at the word makes me think of some sort of Jamaican Goat or possibly a superhero that’s half-goat, half-man, all hero! I know it’s Joat, not Goat, but it’s a “Hard J,” so it sounds like “goat!” Don’t blame me, blame my warped imagination.
JOATMON is an acronym for “Jack of All Trades, Master of None.” In a nutshell, you’re pretty good at a lot of things, but not an expert or specialist in one thing in particular. And I am 100% JOATMON.
JOATMON: HE’S PRETTY GOOD AT STUFF!
Please don’t think this blog is me “humble bragging” (I’m good at soooo many things, I can’t just choose one I’m great at…poor me). For me, it has been quite frustrating. In fact throughout the journey Kim and I have been on this year, JOATMON has been haunting my every step. (For more information about our journey check out Kim’s blog Feeding Fear or Feeding Faith).
To add a little to what Kim has already said, until August 2019 Kim and I had been in full-time kids ministry for over 11 years. The ministry was (and still is) thriving and God used us in so many amazing ways. And because we were both there for over a decade we got to see so much fruit of our labor. It was an amazing adventure.
But over the last few years, we felt God stirring in our hearts that something new was on the horizon, so this spring we told our ministry director that we would be stepping down in August. It was a hard conversation (especially because it was April 1st and we had to continually reassure our boss we were NOT fooling him!)
Even though we felt God leading us in a new direction we didn’t know where. We had taken steps of faith before but each other time we knew where we were going and, at least to some degree, what we would be doing. But this time we were stepping blindly. We felt, much like Abraham, that God wanted us to start moving and then he’d reveal more of his plan to us. Kim and I agreed that it would be better to be like Abraham than to be like Jonah, so we stepped out into the unknown with literally nothing but faith.
When we told our boss we were stepping down, I thought, We took the step of faith! Now God will show us what’s next for us! Yeah, that didn’t happen. And I believe it was for a good reason. If we knew what we were going to do when we left the ministry the next four months would have been agonizing! So not knowing helped us finish strong in the ministry we were so blessed to be a part of.
As we finished up our last four months of ministry, I started thinking about my capabilities, gifts, talents and how I could use them when we started this new adventure. That’s when JOATMON punched me in the face. POW! I’m “good” at a lot of things, but I’ve not GREAT at any one thing.
Why would this bother me? Isn’t it a good thing to be good at things? Absolutely, and I’m not trying to diminish my gifts and talents, but “not specializing” can make it challenging to focus on what you want to do with your life, or even discern where God is calling you. This was the challenge I faced…still face. I remember journalling that I felt like George Costanza in that episode of Seinfeld when he quit his job and can’t decide what he wants to do next.
As our time in ministry neared its end people asked us what was next for us and the answer was still the same. NO CLUE! Some people applauded our bravery, some feared for us. Kim was excited. I was anxious. My mind kept going back to JOATMON. What could I do? If only I had one thing that I could say, “I’ve Mastered This!” Then I’d feel better. Then I’d (probably) know what was next for us!
I’m sure it was a classic case of a “grass is greener” mentality that we all struggle with. I’m sure there are Masters of One (are they called MOOs?), that wish they were more varied in their talents. I’m the best pianist in the whole world, but I can’t draw to save my life!!! Then, of course, there are those who are great at everything they do and nobody likes them.
Ok, so how do we process being a JOATMON, or even being a MOO for that matter? How can we be content with the gifts and talents we have whether they be many, few, excellent or mediocre? I’ve found a few verses that have helped me process this in my walk.
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
Ephesians 1:11-12(MSG)
First, it doesn’t matter what combination of talents and gifts we have. We won’t truly find our purpose until we find Christ. He’s had a plan for us before he set the universe in motion, and what we do is not nearly as important as who we are in Christ.
Make the most of every opportunity…
Ephesians 5:16 (NLT)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.
Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Whatever opportunity comes our way we can and should make the most of it. God’s will is usually fleshed out in our lives through opportunities. When God gives you an opportunity, give it your best. When we show ourselves faithful with even the smallest opportunity, God will entrust us with bigger and better ones.
I can honestly say I still don’t 100% know what’s next for me. Do any of us, though? But I do know this; whether we are a JOATMON or a MOO, God has equipped us with specific gifts, to do what he has planned for us to do. So let’s make the most of every opportunity God sends our way!
Blessings,
Caleb
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to buy Caleb a cup of coffee.