Who Deserves our Best Gifts?

This week we have talked about the prophet Micah and how the “children of Israel” were trying to short-change God.

As I have been writing, I have been struck by our general lack of giving our best everywhere and every time and to everyone.

Why don't we give our best?

We feel pangs of guilt when we don’t pay our fair share in public arenas like church or fundraisers. Nobody wants to be the odd man out or appear a cheapskate. But that’s not what giving of ourselves is all about. 

How we give and how much we give should not be based on how we think we will feel when others find out that we took a shortcut or only made it look like we were pulling our oar. I don’t even believe it is about a sense of pride or accomplishment. It is just doing the right thing at the right time.

Instead, we run ourselves to ground "getting" and "doing" for the people we say we love, but we don’t do much "being." We have convinced ourselves that they will be satisfied with what’s left as we teeter just above exhaustion.

Here’s the news flash. No one really wants your leftovers.
They want you!

Change the Yourself, then the World
We are all so talented and gifted in so many areas, yet we try to be all things to all people. Why do we cheat ourselves and those around us?

What would our world look like if people just did the right thing? And did what they do best? No one to chase you around, no one to hunt you down and write you up, just do the right thing.

And a Child Shall Lead them...

I am reminded of this past Christmas vacation. I have a fairly “new” granddaughter who is just over a year. Actually, I have several granddaughters, but the others live further away.

My first holiday bonus is that she now knows who I am when I visit them. My daughter stepped out to get us something to eat, and my granddaughter approached me with the universal “patty-cake” sign. 

Type A, masquerading as a type B, grandmother than I am I charged into the game. Half-way through the first line, I realized that I couldn’t remember the end. At least not as I had learned it myself, or taught it to my girls. I could have stopped, and tried to convince this 1 year old to wait, but we pressed on.

Leading with your Heart

On the fly, I put a dance move in the middle, and then we finished with a big flurry which involved high-pitched voices and arms way up in the air. She loved it! She laughed and grinned and made the “let’s do it again” sign. We had to do it about 30 more times before her Mom got back.

Later on that evening when she wanted her Mom to play with her. But, brilliant 1-year old that she is, she knew that was the “wrong” version.

So we played it many, many more times and of course it melted my heart. 

What’s my point? 

It simple really…

Give your Creator, the universe, and every person you meet today and tomorrow and the day after that the best that you have to offer them. Even if it seems small to you, it could change someone else’s life. And that’s an important thing to us all; even if it’s only for a few moments.

And who knows?

You might get a smile that melts your heart…

Like I did.

 
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgraths/3277839203/sizes/m/in/photostream/