Blessed to Give

January 17, 2011

 I am sitting here in Sports Clip waiting for my boys to get their hair cut pondering over all that is on my mind.  I have had odd things happen in the last week.  From reading a book that has literally challenged my every belief and made me question the lifestyle that we live, to being offered a trip to LA, to learning of my cousin's sudden death and living in depression, to having to give up hosting a Disciple Now weekend to attend a funeral, to subbing in Kindergarten classes where soooo many need God's love, and then to using my Christmas gift of being pampered in a spa. As I am shaking my head, I am thinking none of these seem to even go together!!  Happy, sad, happy, sad, happy, sad, blessed, cursed, blessed, cursed....wow!!!  All the while talking to God and asking Him what it is that I should be taking from all these things and how do they all fit together?  What does all of this mean? Why do bad things happen?  Why do some people suffer so much?  What should I do different in my life as a result of all of this?  So many questions and why don't I have answers, Lord? 

We know the church answer, which is all things happen for a reason and everyone has a choice in life.  But what about the starving kid in Africa, or the child born to a family of chaos, dysfunction, and drugs?  Why do they have to pay for the sins of their parents? They did not choose that life.  Why are some people more blessed than others?  Why do some have more resources and support than others?  Lord, why have you blessed me beyond measure yet so many others know you not and have NEVER heard your name?

My mind was still running with all these happenings while I should have been relaxing and enjoying my spa day but there was NOT a lot of relaxing.  You have heard it a thousand times....the answers are in His Word!!  With blessings comes responsibilities....."we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:  'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"   Acts 20:35b.  That's it!   

If you are reading this then you have been blessed; far more than you realize.  You are able to read and obviously have Internet access.  Not only do you live in a country that gives you freedom, but you have more options than you can fathom.  I am sure this morning we all woke from comfortable sleeping arrangements, we most likely had a warm bath, we were able to brush our teeth in clean drinking water, we got to choose what we were going to wear from our mass wardrobe in comparison to the millions that have no roof over their heads, sleep on dirt and don't even know what a toothbrush looks like, much less clean water.  We are spoiled with options of what our favorite pair of shoes are and what favorite restaurant that we love to eat at. We have the option to send our kids to a private school or a public school or whether to enroll them in soccer or dance and then saving for them to attend the college of their choice.  Not all people in this world have what we have.  Not all have been blessed in the ways that we have been.  If we were all honest we would confess to the fact of being blessed beyond our wildest dreams.  We are given far more than what we deserve.  And what we deserve is nothing!  So what do we do with what we have been given?  Do we waist it on what we want or think we deserve because we have worked hard for it or do we use our blessings for His glory and think unselfishly?

My heart has been overly convicted on what I am doing with the blessings that God has given me, especially as I look at the last week of my life.  Do I give Him the glory for the things He has brought me through; do I share with others my material possessions as to show they really are not mine but His to begin with; do I give of my time to serve others so that they can see the love of God through me; do I sacrifice in giving or is it just my left overs for offering?  With the blessings God has given us all there will be great responsibility.  Responsibility of obedience.  Responsibility to use our blessings for His glory.  Responsibility to help those that are in need, those that are weak, those that know Him not.   

I still don't know all the answers to my 'why questions' but our God did not promise a life of ease for anyone or answers to all our questions.  What He does promise is salvation.  What He does promise is always a way out of temptation.  What He does promise is that He will always be there for us when we call on His name.  What He does promise is that He loves us!!!  And because we love Him we should be willing to use our blessings to honor and glorify our creator and savior!! 

Looking around the world to see how much more we are blessed than others or even looking down the street, it breaks my heart to know that I have been somewhat irresponsible with the many things I have been given.  Maybe this realization is just for me and maybe it has made you take a second glance and realize this life is not just about our own dreams and goals.  It is about sharing Christ with others and what better way to share Him than through His abundance!! As our pastor said this last Sunday....we are all on our way, we are all going, going about....are we going about our Masters work or our own?  Are we going about sharing Him or are we in the way of Him being shown? 

I pray this would not come to you as preaching or confusion as it has been a wild ride to piece together what the Lord has shown me.   But, I pray this will come to you as loving encouragement to be on your way using your blessings for Him, in His name, and for His glory!!  I pray that with your blessing you will be able to share Jesus with some one in need!  I pray we will be less full of ourselves and selfish desires and completely full of Him!  He deserves our all!!