Use What You Have, and Use it for Good
Can I be real with you guys for a moment? Let’s get real, open, and honest. I have been living so selfishly with my life these past couple years. I blamed it primarily on my living situation. My studio apartment was too small. Our current home is a 20+ year old trailer house. How could I serve people in a home like this? Or I blamed it on my busyness. I have 2 children 16 months apart, and living that 2 under 2 life. But the truth is, my house is not too small, and my children do not keep me from loving and serving other people. The only thing keeping me from doing good things, quite frankly, is me.
Good Things
When I talk about doing good things, I’m talking about hospitality. I’m talking about loving other people. I’m talking about being a high quality person who gives high quality output with a solid work ethic. I’m talking about doing everything you do in love.
This can include other things such as working out, even if you don’t have weight sets, dumbbells or a gym membership. It can include starting a garden even if you only have so much space on your land. It can be choosing to parent well or break an addictive cycle, even if you grew up seeing your parents do this poorly. Whatever you want to do, you can make it happen, and still make it good with what you’ve got.
However, I want to focus on true goodness: a pure, selfless, wholehearted goodness. When I say to use what you have, and use it for good, I mean use it to love genuinely and deeply. To do good by serving other people with what we have. It reminds me of what I am constantly telling my 2 year old, “Sharing is caring.” Your time, your possessions, and your energy are all things you can share to do and spread good.
Everything
“The way we do anything is the way we do everything.” That is a wonderful quote by Martha Beck. I would like to add to that, by saying not everything you do matters, but how you do everything does matter. If you build a house, build it well. When you go to work, get the job done with pride. As you do the laundry, do it with a full and grateful heart, because that matters.
When we are called to do everything in love, it leaves no wiggle room for half-hearted, luke-warm deeds. Doing everything in love means having a whole heart in doing the dishes. It means showing up for work ready to serve. Everything includes loving in the way you speak, the way you drive, and the way you show up for yourself and other people.
This is a command. It is not optional. The scripture does not say, ” Do some things in love. ” or ” Do things in love sometimes. ” It means everything, all the time. I like these kinds of verses, because they are very clear cut: no exemptions, not a suggestion, no ifs ands or buts about it.
Doing good not only benefits those around us, but it benefits us, ourselves. God wants the best for us. That is why he provides us with the information in the Bible and the commandments within it. It is out of love for us. He blesses us when we bless in His name. Even if we do not see the reward on this Earth. However, the more you do good, act honorable, and behave righteously, the more people will respect you. People tend to look up to and gravitate toward a strong, generous, loving heart. You become a leader of goodness to those around you and inspire them to do good. It is powerful the effect good will have to the people around you, and to you.
Life with Meaning
Life is short. We have such little time to make an impact. Making a positive impact on the world requires other people. What good is your life if the only person you make an impact on is yourself? Don’t get me wrong- I am all about being good to yourself; that is a BIG part in doing good. However, I will make a bold statement here: a selfish life is not a good life. You might grow yourself to be the most intelligent, fit, rich and even happiest person you can be, but at the end of the day, at the end of your life, those things mean nothing. As Solomon so elegantly put it in Ecclesiastes, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly Meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Despite this seemingly depressing thought, he ends the book saying:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Fear God and keep his commandments. That is the goal. It’s so simple. Through his commandments, you will find a common theme, and that is LOVE. God’s love for us, our love for Him, and love for other people.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:8-11 NIV
That’s a passage worth reading a second time over a little slower.
How can we love each other deeply? By using the gifts God has given us. He is the ultimate provider, and he will provide you with what you need to love- even if you don’t think it’s very much.
If you have a mouth, you can speak life and encouragement. It doesn’t matter if you are an introvert or have a stutter. If you have food, you can make a meal for someone. It doesn’t matter if it’s just spaghetti. If you have a house, you can have people over. It doesn’t matter if it’s small. If you have strength, you can help someone with a project. It doesn’t matter if it’s not your expertise. Point is, if you have breath, you can love.
Use what you have, and use it for good. Your time, money, house, land, words, attitudes, possessions, skills, behavior and actions are all SO valuable, and can be used for so much good. These things we have are tools, and we must use these tools to love others and glorify God.
Dinky Excuses
Like I said, God provides us with what we need to love, which means there are NO excuses. Feeling convicted? Me too.
I blamed my studio apartment for not having people over at a time when I didn’t have kids or any ties keeping me home. How silly! I could’ve made some food, went to someone else’s home, and blessed them there on a complete whim! (Most people even prefer that!) I could’ve met people to share life with over coffee whenever I wanted. Now I have children, and my old trailer. I have refrained from inviting people over because it’s old, small and contains a young toddler and a baby (and there is clear proof of it when you walk in). Truth is, that is not a good excuse, that is pride. That poor thought process is ending today.
My old dinky trailer is filled to the brim with love, and always has dang good food. My old dinky old trailer is often filled with laughter, tears, and authenticity. My dinky old trailer can be used for so much good. And you know what? Your dinky old thing can be used for good, too.
Your dinky budget can bless. Your dinky introverted self can spark life into someone with your words. Your dinky old car can pile in friends to go out for coffee. Your dinky little blog can inspire someone. Your dinky stove can make your neighbors some food (or at least make a great frozen pizza).
What you have is not dinky or insignificant. When you offer it in love, your “dinky old whatever” becomes a blessing, a haven, a friend, a life changer, etc.
What are you using as an excuse? We need to step up and shut down that inadequate line of thinking immediately. It is paramount, because that dinky excuse is keeping us from sharing an incredible goodness to the world.
Time: The Most Common and Worst Excuse
Loving takes time, no matter how you do it. We need to make room for this. Loving people never happens by itself.
I’ve been one to tell myself, “I’ll have more time later.” If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short-lived life, it is that there is never more time later. In fact, the days only get more and more busy! The best time to do good is always now. You have time. We all have time. Until we die, there is time, and as long as we’re living, the amount of time we have becomes less and less. Don’t waste it on yourself. Don’t let opportunities to love and do good go by. Don’t miss the chance to tell someone about the goodness of God.
You are valuable, and what you have to offer is valuable. Share it. We only have so much time, and we run out of it sooner than we think. Our “lack of time” should be our reason, not our excuse. Life offers no round two. There are no second chances. We have this life, and this life only. If we are not actively trying to do good with every chance we have, we are wasting it. Use the time you have, and use it for good.
Imperfect Exhaustion
Doing everything in love is a high expectation, and an impossible one at that. In our own strength, we are sure to crumble under the exhaustion from the work it takes to do our best at everything with our whole hearts in all of it. Although it comes more natural the more you do it, this is where I believe the phrase, ” God provides ” really sets in. I am not talking prosperity gospel here with this. He will not necessarily provide you with the things you want, but He will provide you with what it takes to fulfill his will for you. God needed Jonah to get somewhere, and he provided Jonah with a whale.
The point is, we must rely on God for our strength, because He will provide us with the strength to continue to do His good work. He’ll provide the finances you need to do his work. He’ll provide the opportunity. He’ll provide the words. He’ll provide the house- even if you think it isn’t sufficient enough, it is. He is the provider of every good thing. Lean on Him, trust in Him, and let Him be your strength.
I cannot emphasize this enough. I wish I could look you in the eye to say this:
Your life is not a waste. Your life is not a chance. You are here on purpose. God wanted you alive for Him to love you and you to love Him. It’s no mistake and no accident. So, use your valuable life. Use everything you have, all your strength, all your being, all your possessions, and use it for good.
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You Can Do Good, Really Good.
I am so excited for all the amazing things you will do, and the ways God will use you. You can bless people in so many ways! And let me just say, you being here right now, reading this blog is a blessing to me. You are blessing me right now with your support and your care to listen. I couldn’t be more grateful. If you would like to hear more, you can find me on Instagram or inside our Facebook community group!
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