Give What You Have

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new opportunity begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! I also sincerely hope that you have had a great week - personally & professionally!

Before diving into this Happy Friday, I would respectfully like to ask you to pray for those who have been impacted, and continue to be impacted, by Hurricane Dorian. Thank you.

This week I want to share a scripture with you and the profound revelation that came to me from it. 1 Corinthians 8: 10 - 12 says:

"I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do a year ago, for you were not only the first to propose the idea, but the first to begin doing something about it. Having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly, giving whatever you can out of whatever you have. Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now. If you are really eager to give, then it isn't important how much you have to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you haven't."

There are two parts of that scripture that hit me profoundly:
1. "...giving whatever you can out of whatever you have."
2. "If you are really eager to give, then it isn't important how much you have to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you haven't."

Have you ever noticed how people, including us, will fight for our inadequacies? Instead of simply giving our very best to whatever it is we are doing, we will focus on whatever parts of it we feel are lacking. Instead of just being the best person we can be, we talk about the talents, gifts or abilities we do not have. Instead of just being the best Mom or Dad we can be, we tend to focus on the lack of time we have to spend with our kids, or the amount of money we have to provide the things we think they just have to have. And yet, the scriptures quite clearly tell us to give whatever it is we have to give.

So let's talk for a moment about the Big 3.

Time - While it is true that some of us - that includes all of us at some point or another! :) - need to get our priorities in order, to align our time with the things that truly mean the most to us, the simple fact is that if we will wholeheartedly give whatever time we have to whoever is in front of us, it is enough. Instead of saying something like, "I wish I had more time with [fill in the blank]" what if we were just fully present in the time we do have? Ever been there? I have been in situations where I knew I only had a set amount of time with someone and while I am with them, instead of simply living fully present in the moment, I spend time lamenting how I wish I had more time with them. Sounds crazy even typing it! :) When the scripture tells me that God wants me to give what I have, not what I haven't, it seems to me that what it is saying is that if I will give my time fully to whatever is in front of me, He will take care of the rest, it will be enough.

Talent - We see this one all the time. We live in a world that is so used to comparing and competing that we don't simply give our best to something and then have a deep peace about the effort we have given. Isn't it interesting that nowhere in the Bible does it say to be sure you are better than everyone else or you must perform flawlessly? No, it does say to do whatever you are doing as working for the Lord, not man and give what you have. So what if we really walked that out? What if, instead of worrying that our work is not good enough, we simply did the very best be can and used those talents to love, care for and serve others? The scripture above tells us that if we do that, it is enough. Give whatever talent you have, not what you have not...

Treasure - Again, a huge one! We love to play the comparison game. There should be no comparison and this is definitely not a game! Giving - whether time, talent or treasure - is all about the heart, the condition of the heart, and not how much or how good we think whatever we are giving is. If our hearts are convicted to give money to someone or some cause, we should give in accordance to what we feel convicted to give and then have a deep peace in our spirit knowing that whatever it is we have given will fulfill its purpose. 

Sweet Friends, let's stop fighting for our perceived inadequacies. It is neither right nor Biblical. You are enough! Everything filtered through a pure heart, the time you can give is enough! You are talented enough! The treasure you give is enough! Please do not believe the lies - Satan is referred to as the the Deceiver for a reason! :) You are enough! Please stop questioning your ability as a person, as a spouse/partner, as a parent, as a leader! Whoever you are and wherever you are on this beautiful day, you have everything it takes to walk your life journey. You are a blessing! Please simply be the best version of you and give whatever you have to give to love, care for and serve others!

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!

Kev