Yesterday, my family and I ate Memorial Day leftovers. Is it just us, or do you always over-cook for holidays? It's such a bad habit of mine; I think it's because I come from an especially large family. We used to cook like we were feeding a whole football team on every special occasion.
Since my husband and I didn't have any company stop by our house on Monday, we weren't able to tell them to "take a plate" to help us to get rid of the excess, which could've helped us avoid having to eat it for several consecutive days. I dont' know about you, but we don't believe in throwing away food at my house...not if we can help it. I grew up in a household where we couldn't afford to be wasteful!
Well, Tuesday afternoon, my three year old, Kaleb, was chomping on his hot dog for lunch. After only a few bites, he looked up at me with those big brown puppy dog eyes and said, "Mommy I don't want my 'ot dawd' anymore."
I looked at it and thought, "Neither do I."
But since I hadn't eaten my lunch just yet, I decided to go ahead and eat the cold wiener myself, even with it being drowned in ketchup and all. But no sooner than I elected to eat it, I saw Kaleb studying me inquisitively.
"Mommy, whatchoo eating?" he asked.
"A hot dog," I said still chewing and loathing every minute of it.
"Tan I tate it?" Kaleb asked, reaching his hand up, craving a taste of HIS hot dog that he had rejected just seconds earlier. Remarkably, when he thought his abandoned lunch was mine, he suddenly had a renewed interest in it. Kaleb never made the connection that he was simply eating what was already on his plate to begin with.
He ate the whole hot dog too!
I began thinking, we behave just like that sometimes too, don't we? By that I mean, we often don't appreciate what we possess, because it's ours. But we'll look over at our "neighbor" and admire what they have, when in truth, we sometimes possess the very same thing!
Today, God is challenging all of us to begin seeing and valuing what's inside of us, instead of being distracted by what someone else has. Listen, no matter who you are and where you're from, God has endowed you with extraordinary gifts and abilities to carry out the work of the Kingdom. But you've got to begin seeing that the gifts, talents, and resources God has given you are equally as important as anyone else's.
I believe that devaluing who and what God made you to be, opens the door to jealousy, envy, bitterness, resentment and strife. That's why it's crucial to realize that all God's children are equally special. As it's often said, "There are no big I's and little You's" in God's Kingdom. We're all marvelous in God's eyes. He made us all in His image and likeness. You are fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psalm 139:14)
You've got to know that, if God can use your neighbor, He most certainly can and will use you too. Though our individual gifts and roles aren't all the same, they are all from God and for God. 1 Corinthians 12:4 says, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."
I want you to begin cultivating what's on your plate and rediscovering how awesome the gifts and abilities God has given you truly are. Then, once you get a new outlook, you'll pick that vision up again that you had once laid down. You'll begin replacing those feelings of worthlessness with a renewed sense of value and optimism. You'll move forward with a deeper revelation of God's purpose and plan for your life.
I've gotta ask you: What's on your plate? In other words, what's right under your nose that you just might be passing over, thinking it's not good enough?
I implore you; don't reject what you possess. The world needs what's inside of you. Now pick it up off your plate and don't throw it away!
As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com
