Morning Glories Devotional: Handful of Change

It’s Christmastime and all the stores are adorn with festive lights and decorations in an attempt to enhance the holiday spirit. Bell-ringers faithfully stand by each storefront with their clinking bells, big red pots and “Merry Christmas” greetings hoping to acquire all the change left in the hands of those last minute shoppers. Many put the change in their pocket and walk on by without a second glance. Others drop the change into their pocket without a second thought, mainly to avoid the hassle of having to put it back in their wallets. After all it is just change, right? What difference could a few coins really make? ‘It’s not like a handful of change is going to make a difference in the world!’ Yet, the truth is, a handful of “change” could make a difference in someone’s life without costing a penny!Okay, so that last statement may sound like a riddle but it really isn’t if you think about it. When someone speaks of a ‘handful’ or something ‘in hand’ they are usually referring to something in one’s possession (Webster’s Online Dictionary). Most possessions are considered valuable if only to the owner. Many things could be considered possessions but not all are monetary. Some possessions come in the form of skills, talents, abilities or even personality traits.

Not everyone has great wealth or vast belongings within their grasp but everyone has something of value. Genesis 1:27 states that we are created in God’s image and Thessalonians chapter 5 says “you are all sons of light and sons of day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (v.5). Those of us who are of the day are to be “self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and hope of salvation as a helmet” (v.8). Christ died for us so that whether awake or asleep, in a crowd or all alone, thinking the whole world is watching or thinking no one can see what we do, we should strive to “live together with him” (v.10)

. All this may make living for Christ seem like a very daunting task but the Bible continues to elaborate in this chapter of how we can achieve this. We are to comfort and edify each other, be at peace with one another, counsel the disobedient, console the faint-of-heart, encourage the weak and be patient! Whew! Sounds like a lot, huh? Then again there is a lot of change that needs to take place and a lot of people that need to see God’s love. God chose to work through each of us by using the special traits he has given each of us to reach the hurts and needs of those around us.

God created us all to be individuals with gifts and abilities unique to each of us. 1Corinthians 12:4 says that each of us has gifts given by the Holy Spirit that are not always the same as someone else’s but are just as important. These special traits are not meant solely to enrich our own lives but to help others. Jesus proved this point when he said that all the commandments “are summed up in this one rule; love your neighbor as yourself” (Romans 13:9). By using our gifts to help others as God intended we could see a positive ‘change’ in the lives of those around us! It doesn’t take much to make a radical difference in someone’s life but it does take compassion and a willingness to give of yourself.

Did you know that God not only desires that we use our abilities to help others but requires us to give of what we have so that others might be blessed also? Requires? How is that so, you may be asking. Yes, it’s true that God loves a “cheerful giver” but that doesn’t mean that any one of us can truly call ourselves

Christians and yet say, “I just don’t feel like it, or “I’m just not that kind of person”, “Someone else will do it, I’m just not good enough” or what about, “I’m doing alright now but what if I fall on hard times later. No, I better just keep all I have for myself”. None of these views are what God intended for his children and they certainly do not align themselves with scripture. Jesus makes this very clear in Luke 12:48 when he says that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much will be asked”.

Reading this makes it plain to see that God blesses each one of us with the intent of having those blessing shared with those around us. God is not selfish with us, and Jesus, our example, was not selfish with anyone he encountered. So, how can we justify being selfish with those things that have been given to us by God to edify others? It never has to be outrageous or grandiose, just whatever you have to give-given in love. 1Corinthians chapter 12 describes how each of us has been blessed with something to give. It doesn’t matter whether your gift or ability is the same or different as someone else’s. All that matters is that you use it to show God’s love and realize that in doing so you will not only edify others but also honor God in the process!

It is true that the world seems to grow darker everyday and the nightly news broadcasts only one negative story after another. With all the pain and suffering being experienced in the world you may ask, “How can my small contribution ever amount to anything that would matter?” My response is, “Remember Jesus words when he said, if you have faith, you can move a mountain. Have faith that God gave you this ability to make a difference and if you share it as God intended, you will.” How awesome to have such an active role in the kingdom of God! In Luke 13:18-19 Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed planted in a garden. Even though it was so tiny that it seemed extremely insignificant, it was used anyway. From that mustard seed grew a tree, full enough to shelter the birds in its’ branches!

He goes on to tell of a woman who mixed yeast into a large amount of flour until it worked through the entire lump of dough (v.20). In theses stories, Jesus was explaining that what we have and see as “nothing”, God can use to change lives, further his kingdom and increase his glory! If you want to see a change you have to be the change. What God has placed in your hand is uniquely yours, a true gift to you and a blessing of hope to others. You could say that your God-given gift is your ‘handful of change’ for the world!