What Do I Have To Offer?

What do I have to offer?

The truth? This is the question I ask far too often. I don’t feel especially talented or called. I don’t have great ambitions or terrific dreams. I’m not a mover or changer. I don’t thrive in large crowds and one of my favorite things is curling up with a good book and a cozy blanket. Nor will I complain if there’s a tasty drink nearby. Cappuccino in the winter and lemonade in the summer, please!

Sometimes in this BIG world-wide-web of internet pages one easily feels like a lone fish at sea or as if any voice we might have is drowned out completely among all the many, many other voices out there. Voices filled with talent and fire and passion. The Best of the Best. Against what scale I don’t know. How we judge the Best of the Best is a bit of a mystery to me.

It can feel like one must have a story of sensation to offer any difference. Perhaps one must be a missionary in a foreign country or give up any sort of ease and move to a tiny house. Maybe one must become a minimalist, or become a fiery brand of self-help bravery, shouting “You’ve Got This” from the sidelines like an intense drill sergeant.

Maybe offering the best DIY’s or teaching a class or painting inspirational art feels worthy. Is it beautiful photography or building a brand?

Perhaps the best mannered kids or the Master’s Degree diploma on the wall? Would these show the value of my skills and worth?

These are all great things! One of my favorite bloggers rocks the DIY’s. Friends of mine have awesome and fun children. Inspirational art hangs on my walls from the brush of a talented artist and blesses me with its beauty. We need missionaries and reminders towards minimalism.

In my heart of hearts I deeply believe every single person matters and we all have something to offer. When I’m especially tired or it feels like my attempts keep falling flat, the scathing voices in my head begin to tell my heart of my worthlessness and “What Do I Have To Offer?” begins a repeat record in my head.

It’s when the end goal begins to weigh heavy on me and my offerings feel meaningless and empty and ignored, that I know a reset is in order.

This is when she shows up. The Scriptures offer her a tiny space of about three or four sentences. She’s nameless and faceless. No detailed description about her, about her background, about her story. It laser-focuses in on her offering.

Now, to be honest, I like story and I like to know about the characters. I want to know more about her. How long has she been a widow? Does she have children? Is she lonely? Does she have longed-for dreams? Does she have a nickname? Does she ask herself what she has to offer?

Yes, I have questions about her, but the thing is, we’ve been given all we need to know to lean in and learn the lesson.

Mark 12:41-44 The Message
“Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all.””

She offered what she had.

And in my paraphrase, Jesus called it an offering of More Than Enough.

Jesus wraps this reminder around me on this Friday morning like a tight and gentle hug.

Linking up at Five Minute Friday.………{confession: I most often use the prompt to trigger my writing and I most often exceed five minutes….} 🙂

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019