![]() Each of us are where we are today because of the influence and foundational work of others, whether it be parents, friends, pastors or teachers. Today, we still have people in our lives who have left a legacy or continue to provide us with a foundation on which to serve God. It is called faith’s “hall of fame.” The great characters brought alive in the pages of the Bible formed the beginning of God’s story amongst His people. The writer of Hebrews goes on for more than a chapter to expound on the qualities expressed in the lives of the great men and women of the Bible who exhibited great faith. In Hebrews 11, we gain an insight into the historical giants on whose shoulders we are standing. Isaac Newton said that “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” When we spend time in God’s word, we tap into their stories and have the opportunity to do what they did well and avoid some of their mistakes. The Bible is also full of people who exemplified those traits. The Bible outlines the character traits that can build a lasting legacy. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” Hebrews 11: 8-12. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. I’m deeply grateful for Barry and all he’s allowed me to see.“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. His love for humanity and the planet bring his work to life and make it possible for others to do the same. What theorist’s, leader’s, predecessor’s, ancestor’s, or thought leader’s shoulders does your impact, or your way of being/seeing/thinking, stand? Call them out or tag them below!įor the Johnson is a giant. His ideas about polarities and interdependent pairs are a huge piece of the foundation upon which my work in the world is built. What am I doing and how am I being to make my shoulders a place for others to stand? Who am I reaching for to give a lift up? How can I be excited for the impact they’ll have that I may never see?.Whose shoulders do I stand upon? Who created the ground from which I make my impact? How can I feel and express gratitude for them?.In the spirit of gratitude, it might be interesting to consider: Don’t just be grateful for your giants – be one yourself. Don’t neglect to make your shoulders a solid foundation for others.Don’t try to fill the shoes of others or diminish their accomplishments to look better.Appreciate those who’ve come before – be confidently humble. Don’t forget that your brilliance and impact is only possible because others have paved the way.Be a giant that blends confidence AND humility in a way that invites others to climb and rise to places you’ll never see. Do this not to be seen as a giant (get your ego out of the way), but so that others might see, and do, further. ![]() Take the time to teach, to give a hand up, to pass on the things you’ve learned. Standing on the shoulders is also a call to action: Prepare your shoulders to be a firm place for someone else to stand. Don’t fill their shoes-you do you and advance their work. The point of standing on a giant’s shoulders is to deeply honor and respect what they’ve built AND be committed to take it further in the world to help increase both their impact AND your impact. There’s no way to fill the shoes of a giant, and that’s not the point. Standing on the shoulders is different than filling someone’s shoes, which might imply taking their place or continuing to make the same impact they had on the world. Every professional, every activist, every thought leader stands on the shoulders of giants. However, in the busyness of the day-to-day, it can be easy to take for granted the very ground upon which our feet, and success, are planted. It doesn’t suggest our ideas are better, or their ideas are limited, it’s simply a beautiful reminder that our “bright ideas” are possible only because of the foundation others have laid. This phrase is often used to remind us that what we see and achieve are only possible because of the thinkers and doers who have gone before.
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