When We Give It Back

This morning I played basketball at 6 am for the first time in a very long time. It was much fun to get back on the court. This is very much random, but you'll see how it ties in eventually. At the church we play basketball at, there is a cement wall that goes from the lower level to the upper level. As I was pulling out of the church... all hot and sweaty with the windows down in the early morning, I could clearly hear my car rumbling under the hood. Random fact: I do like the sound of my car. I don't want to give you the impression that I absolutely love my car because in all reality, I have never been into the whole car thing. In fact, I decided when I was in like 7th grade that my first car would be a mini-van so that when I got married and had kids, I wouldn't have to get a new car. Okay, so I was thinking a bit in advance, but it makes me laugh now. All that to say, the sound of my car this morning was a reminder that it is an amazing blessing from the Lord to have a car... and to have a nice car is an added bonus. I am very thankful for it. I would not have picked it if I was going to purchase my own car, but God graciously blessed me with it through my parents. So, as I was pulling out of the driveway of the church, I was thinking back to some of my initial thoughts about the car. I was thinking about the fact that I'd likely have more opportunities to have an impact on some teenage boys because all of them (generally) are interested in cars. To be honest, I have seen very few opportunities in this regard. As I continued, I was thinking about the different things I have... computers, camera, car, phone, etc... and how I am or am not using these things for His glory. I was realizing that I really hadn't used my car all that much for His glory, so I again rededicated my car to Him... because it is His. If He wants to take it, so be it. It's His tool, for His glory, which He has put in my hands. So, I was praying that He would use it as such. About a minute later, I drove by a truck on the side of the road... and about 200 yards away from that, I saw a man walking (obviously in his work uniform) and it was like God said, "You asked for it... here it is!"... so, I stopped and found out that he was out of gas and gave him a ride to the gas station. I say this not to my credit... but completely to His. He did the work in my heart and dropped the opportunity right there in my lap. It was such an incredible blessing for me seeing how He answered that prayer so immediately. It was a real faith building experience. I'm going to try to take more time to analyze exactly how I am using the things He has given me... and see how I can use them to further His kingdom. He never ceases to amaze me in the way that He can work in my heart. He is so good and so faithful!

Ever since the mission trip, I have thought much about Philippians 2:3-4.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Down in Mexico, there is a huge focus on making people feel like they matter to you. It's really a culture based on relationships. We are so separated from each other... so self-serving. I don't want to live life in such a way that I can just ignore people. It's an easy thing to live my own life and not impact people... but that is not His plan. His plan is for us to redeem the time! I want people to matter to me because they matter to God. One of the things I challenged the team to do was to try to remember people's names. I'll be honest, I am very bad with names. I really have to make a point of trying hard to remember their names. If God knows the number of hairs on their head, I ought to be able to remember their name! If God cares that infinitely about them, I ought to at least give them my time of day. Oh, may I never be so caught up in myself that I can't even give a minute to someone that God cares infinitely about. I desperately need Him to take my heart and form it into His likeness.