Retiring.

If you are shy and retiring you may think that you do not have a huge influence or impact on the community around you (this includes friends and family).
If you are a Christian though, this is definitely not the case; you may not grab the lime light or seek to be the centre of attention but you are far more influential that you could possibly imagine.

There was once a guy called Jabez. You may have read about him and his prayer that had a dramatic impact upon his life and the lives of those around him.

Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. 1 Chron 4:9-10

God did not respond to Jabez's request because he had prayed it, as if that special combination of words unlocked something; He responded because of Jabez's character. If he had not been a man of honour (of good character) perhaps the same words uttered in prayer would have made no difference to anyone.

God does not respond to 'magic words', He responds to hearts.
David was described as a man after God's own heart. Hezekiah was described as pursuing God like none of his forefathers before him, not even David! Because of this when Hezekiah asked to live 15 more years God said 'OK'. When you desire God that much, He seems to even respond to 'crazy' prayers!

You may not be a bubbly outspoken character.
You may prefer to be overlooked rather than picked out of a crowd. But this does not reduce you to an unnoticed member of God's family. Your heart, your desire for God, can transform a feeble [and what could be selfish unless placed in God's hands] three line prayer, like Jabez's, into something that could impact your community!
You can do all that without your character ever changing - you will still be you, no sudden evangelist transformation needed.

All you need is desire and your quiet, unassuming, retiring, polite lifestyle will suddenly become something significant and groundbreaking in God's hands.