The Big Shirt

I have been working at a convenience store for a few months now. I remember the first day I showed up to work, I did not have any training, and no, I did not receive any training after that. I walked through the door for my first shift of work. I had my hair curled and my work shirt that was seven sizes too big tucked into my pants with a double buckle belt to impress all ten people that would come into my store during that four-hour shift. I stepped up to the register and introduced myself to my co-worker behind the counter. He showed me how to scan things on the register and wipe the counters, and then he left. I had to learn on my toes. Every day that I came into work, I would learn something new. In fact, I am still learning new things at work during every shift. I come in and start asking questions. I do this so that I can do my job the right way and be as helpful as possible.

I think that maybe that’s what God wants from us. He asks us to show up and present what we have before Him. It may be next to nothing. That’s okay. He knows how to do a lot with nothing (see Genesis 1 to learn more about what God does with nothing).

My work shirt is so big on me that it could pass as a dress, and not one of those tiny t-shirt dresses. It is so big that it goes down to my knees. I always feel so silly when I put it on. God likes to give us "shirts" like this. He asks us to do things that we are too small for. We may feel out of sorts when we step into what He has for us, showing up in clothes that we have to grow into. He may give us a shirt that is seven sizes too big to put on. That’s when we have to depend on Him to fill in the gaps. Don’t worry—He is big enough to fill in where we can’t.

He wants us to keep growing. We may be able to fill those clothes eventually. I think we can do this by asking lots of questions. Asking questions means that we are trying to get better. It sometimes takes a spoonful of humility to do. I have trouble asking questions. I like to act like I have it all together, but I almost never do. I don’t think anyone really does. We never arrive; we’re always on the journey. I have had to practice asking questions. Believe it or not—I’ve learned a lot from asking those questions, and the more I ask, the more I know! Asking questions gets easier over time. I am always reminding myself: "You don't know what you don't know."

Besides asking other people questions, God wants us to ask Him questions too. He’s not afraid of any questions that we have. He likes for us to learn from Him. No question offends Him; no question upsets Him, and there is no question that He doesn’t know the answer to.

I like my job. I get to talk to people. When they come into my store, I have the opportunity to share a moment of life with them, and during closing shifts, I get to give them free donuts. I am much better at my job than I was during my first shift, but I would not have been if I had not put on my 3xl shirt, showed up, and asked lots of questions.

It took me a while, but I have learned to laugh when I put on my big shirt. I do not find it so embarrassing anymore. In fact, I like to show people my big shirt so that we can laugh at it together. We get to do this with the things God has called us to as well. We do not have to take ourselves too seriously, and we don't have to worry about it either.

Put on your big shirt everyday, ask questions, and let God do the rest.