3:134 – What Are Your Contributions?

#faithbites #faithjourney contributions

How do you measure your contributions? I was in a discussion and someone said that I had zero contributions because I hadn’t served in the military compared to a 33 year vets contributions. (And know I love my military friends and thank you for fighting for me and our way of life). For some reason, that hit me very hard. Why? Because I think I have contributed to society but at the same time I wonder if I have. How do we measure our service? Mohammad Ali said that, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” I would think that that would count.

How do you measure your contributions? Do you try to compare what you have done to what others have done? How about what you have taken versus what you have given?

These aren’t easy questions to ask or questions to answer.Sometimes we want to think we have given more than have or taken more than we should. At the end of the day, are those the right questions? How does the Lord view our contributions to our world?

Scripture

• Romans 12:6-8 – Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
• Luke 21:1-4 – Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Reflection

We see two different descriptions of contributions through our scripture. The first is that no two of us is given the same gifts. If we are a teacher, our gift is teaching. Are you a doctor, then heal the best way you can. If it is being wealthy, it is in our philanthropy. One person who is an excellent teacher shouldn’t be compared to a military person as both have made a contribution to society. It is different but still as important.

The second scripture relates to amounts. The story of the poor woman shows that she may give much less than anyone else but it is everything she has. She is giving because she feels it is right, not out of duty. What does two coins do in the long run? Is her sacrifice that is important. She is willing to give everything to help. It doesn’t matter if it’s two coins or a million, it’s what each can give and how each can give.

Yes, 33 years in military service is wonderful and a great addition to our society. That doesn’t belittle or ignore the contributions of others.

I will leave you with this. You are important and what you add has value. Don’t compare what you bring to what others bring. God has made you unique with specific talents. Use those in the way he would want.

Challenge

This is a hard one: Don’t try to keep up with the Jones’s. What you do is valuable and unique. Don’t worry if you have never been in the military or never taught. How are you using your gifts to the glory of God. Share that with others.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for everything. Thank you for making us all unique with different gifts. Help us not to try to judge what we contribute vs what someone else contributes. We need to know that we should all give what we can in the way that we can. At the same time, we know it should be an honor to serve you with the gifts you give us. Help our service to praise and glorify you. In your name, Amen.