Do It Gladly
By Brita Crouse
“God
has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given
you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking
through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you
are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others,
do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership
ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing
kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Romans
12:6-8 (NLT)
Nervously, I sat staring at the
blank email open on my computer screen. The empty page was waiting for me to
fill it with words, but I began to second-guess myself that I was doing the
right thing. My fingers began to type, but my mind began to race with thoughts
discouraging me from sending this email.
I was writing a classmate to share
exciting news: some research we found was able to help students at another
university become better informed on a certain psychological diagnosis. I
was writing to encourage her. But
yet, I couldn’t shake the thoughts that were telling me this was just going to
be another email added to the dozens we as students receive daily, that what I
had to say could wait, or wasn’t even important enough for her to know.
Maybe this scenario seems silly, but
maybe you have been there before too. You are presented with the opportunity to
encourage and bless someone, but that opportunity is missed because of thoughts
that cause you to doubt. Thoughts like, Oh, they already know or How
will they respond? or What if it makes me seem weird?
In the verses above, you can see how
Paul is urging us to use our God-given abilities, whether that be teaching,
encouraging or showing kindness. Not only are we told to use these talents, we
are also told to “speak out,” “serve…well,” “do a good job,” “do it,”
“share…generously,” “take the responsibility seriously,” and “do it gladly.”
Reading through these verses has
caused me to take these instructions more seriously. How could I not?! This
school semester I have set out to challenge myself: to say kind thoughts or
encouraging words freely. Why keep them to myself?
God has given each of us certain
abilities. Let us show His love by using them to bless others.
I did end up sending that email. And
I ended up doing it gladly!
GOING DEEPER:
1.
Think of someone you know who could
use some encouragement and kindness this week. Challenge yourself to bless them
specifically. Do it gladly!
FURTHER READING:
Brita recently moved back to her home state of Wisconsin where
she works as an Elementary School Counselor. She and her family have attended
Oakwood for 20 years.
