Aptitude or Attitude

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Ephesians 4:23

Tony Melendez was born without arms as a result of a medicine his mother took
during her pregnancy, but this limitation didn’t prevent him from learning to play
the guitar with his toes.
Paul, as opposed to Tony, was born with hands, but he cannot use them. This
limitation, however, didn’t prevent Paul Longmore from becoming a writer of
international renown. He wrote his first book with a pencil held between his lips to
press the keyboard’s keys. Besides being a writer, Paul is professor of history at
San Francisco State University (Lewis Smedes, A Pretty Good Person).
How were these two men able to elevate themselves above their physical lim-
itations? I think that their attitude helped in large measure. Note that I said attitude,
and not aptitude.

Aptitudes are our abilities and talents. There are people with more abilities than
others, as the parable of the talents told by Jesus demonstrates: some have received
five talents, others, two, and others, only one. Attitude, on the other hand, refers to
the particular manner in which we interpret our experiences (with the people
around us and the things that happen to us) and the way we decide to respond to
these experiences.
Someone born without arms is, on the surface an unfortunate person. But this
doesn’t need to embitter him. The key is in how he decides to respond to this
adverse circumstance. What attitude did Tony and Paul take in the face of
adversity? A positive attitude, by not permitting adverse circumstances to kill their
dreams.

Do you have some physical limitations? Are you less intelligent than others? Are
you not as good in sports or as handsome and attractive as you would like to be?
These circumstances do not have the power to ruin your life unless you allow them
this power.
Remember that you decide how to respond to what happens to you. And also
remember that God is always by your side, ready to help you as I you face your
greatest difficulties.