care

My Hands Are Full

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I gave my son, Seth, three peanut M&M’s this week.   He’s two years old and he is starting to learn how the ‘system’ works.  So he ate one and then kept the other two in his hands.  He waited a few moments and then he came up to me asking for more.  The two M&M’s were still in his hands.  I shot him a look and was like, uhhh dude, what’s that in your hands, there?  At this point his fingers were turning colors from the M&M’s.  They say they melt in your mouth and not in your hand, apparently whoever tested this theory did not use two year olds in their research.   Seth smiled at me and made a very ‘knowing he was caught’ face.  That rascal.

I don’t know what his plans were exactly.  The M&M’s held an obvious value to him (and every person who likes to eat food in this world!) and he knew he wanted more, but he wasn’t willing to just eat those that he had and spoil the moment of chocolate bliss, until he was guaranteed more.  As I became worried about what he was planning to touch with those multi-colored hands of his, I told him to eat what he had and then we’ll talk about more.

That rascal.  I feel like I should have all kinds of thoughts about this, but mostly I have one very unfortunate thought – this is completely something I would have done!  And truthfully, it is something I do and on a larger scale.  In so many ways, I am that rascal.  I have a lot – time, potential, opportunities, resources, and incredible amounts of love and care to give.  Yet, with that said, so often I find myself wondering what difference I could make if God would only give me more.  I so easily forget, here I stand and my hands are full.

I know I am not alone.  It is so easy for us to stand before God, telling Him we will live for Him, do great things for Him, make a huge difference – just give us the chance, the opportunity, the blessing, the resources – and God, we’ll use it for you.  But our hands are already full.

Your hands are full!  Be encouraged!  There is nothing you need to make a difference in your world, the power is in your hands already!  Lift your head up, clear your focus, and look with fresh eyes – God has you where you’re at for a purpose, make the difference!  You don’t need more, you’ve got all you need.  God has you right where He needs you, use what is in your hands – love, care, provide, uplift, share, empower – shine brightly for Jesus Christ!

God has already filled your life with chances, opportunities, and blessings.  Your hands are full.  Have confidence in God, it’s time to step out with what you have.

And one last little note: you’re probably still a little bit like my son, I know I am, I still want those other M&M’s.  Maybe, just maybe, if you prove to God that you can use what you’ve been given, He’ll be excited to give you something more.  But until then, remember…

Your hands are full.

What We Need

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It happens almost every day around 7:00pm, just like clockwork!  Something changes in our children, and we have to be ready for it.  It is almost like a switch is flipped and they become incredibly needy.  Not needy in a real way.  Needy in a whiney way.  Not needy in an “I have a serious problem” way.  Needy in an “I am just a supreme turd ferguson” way.  There are things that they feel they need to be happy in that moment – a snack, a certain toy, a specific show on TV to watch, a book read to them, and the list goes on and on…

Here is the thing, if you fill that need you have bought yourself a total of five minutes, tops, and then another need arises, and another, and another.  As a parent you can weather the storm, from need to need, or you can realize that there is an actual need and you can fix the situation if you meet that real need.   The need called BEDTIME!

Now this is not the need they want answered.  And most likely, if you suggest that this is the need you’re planning to take care of, expect a fit.  Probably the real kind of fit marked by loss of body control, cries resembling that of a furious squirrel, and potentially comments of the dramatic type (“I’ll never be happy again!”).  This is only further proof that the true need is bedtime.

So as a parent what do you do?  You answer the need that you know is the root of all the problems.  You answer the real need, the one that has brought the unsettledness, discontent, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and disagreeableness.  You know it’s not what they want necessarily, but you know it’s what they need.  So bedtime it is.

In Acts 3 of the New Testament, we see a quick but interesting moment with Peter and John.  On the way to the temple, they walk by a man who has been lame from birth, begging for money, and they decide to help.  This man had expectations on what Peter and John were going to give him.  Expectations on what he knew would be useful for his life – silver or gold.  Peter knew that he didn’t have that to give, but he didn’t allow it to stop him from giving the man what Peter knew he really needed, healing through Jesus Christ.

One of the issues facing Christians right now is the belief that the world doesn’t need Jesus.  While there is often a realization that there is a need in people’s lives, we have become so good at trying to fill that need with one thing or another – money, security, human relationships, pride, attention, prosperity – the list goes on and on.  These are the needs our culture desires filling, when in the end they are just symptoms of the real and true need we can never lose sight of – people need Jesus Christ.

Don’t ever doubt that people still need Jesus.  Maybe all the more because we’re in America.  All this ‘stuff’ we have just complicates matters.  There is still an awful lot of hurt and pain, broken relationships and marriages, misunderstandings and unhappiness, a strong lack of hope and belief in the future, dependence on drugs, money, things, and unhealthy relationships.  Our world right here, right now, needs Jesus, and every individual does.

You have people in your life right now.  They have needs.  Help them with those needs – provide love and care, money and time, friendship and encouragement.  But remember that there will be another need and another and another – until they connect with Jesus Christ.  Give them Jesus.