People Need the One and Only You.

Spoiler Alert: It’s not about you!

 Your gifts

 Your talents

 Your time

 Your money

 Your LIFE!

 All of it. 100%. None of it is about you or for you.

Now, wait one cotton-picking minute! I know this doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time. Buck up Little-Roo, I’ll explain.

Every trial and triumph. Each mistake and victory. All disappointments and successes are for OTHERS; to teach, lead, empathize, encourage, and equip. When you use them to help others and make a difference in someone else’s life – you add significance and meaning to your own life – not to mention a big fat smile in your heart (and on your face). 

Ever wonder what your purpose is? Look no further. Every experience and relationship, gift and talent, conversation, time, and effort is about serving others, helping others, and loving others well. You were made for this, literally.

Jesus died for you, forgave you, and set you free! God pulled you out of the pit so you could go back in and get more people out.

 People need you.

 Yes, you.

 The one and only YOU!

Your past, nuances, quirks, and all – every last bit of YOU is unique, hand-crafted, fearfully, and wonderfully made. God made you just the way you are – with a purpose and for a purpose.

Now, You be YOU and go love some people today…they are waiting for you!

For tips to Rise Up daily, join my private Facebook Group, You are Anything but Average. It’s where we punch mediocrity in the face – ever so sweetly.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)

Christian living is turning every standard, approach, and principal that the world teaches, flipping it up-side-down, and then doing the exact opposite. A few examples may help bring this home.

Your Money is NOT Yours

All of it. The hard-earned dollars, the generous gifts, and precious inheritance. It’s all God’s. It belongs to Him. Every penny is a gift from him; it’s not really yours. News flash: God is your provider (not your hubby, your parents, your boo, or your employer). The big guy upstairs lays claim to it all. We are merely stewarding the precious greenbacks. 

Since the money isn’t ours, we shouldn’t hoard it, idolize it, or be selfish with it. Ouch. I like my money. It’s precious to me. So, this part does not come naturally for me. I’m a work in progress (sigh). 

We should freely give it away, to bless others and advance his kingdom. I’m not saying chuck it all, burn it and throw it out the window. That’s not godly; that’s just silly. But when you become a generous, audacious, and joyful giver – that pleases God. And then you know what happens? He gives you more money so you can bless more people. Go figure? The more you give, the more you get. Told ya, we are flipping the world’s views upside down.

“This generous God who supplies abundant seed for the farmer, which becomes bread for our meals, is even more extravagant toward you. First, he supplies every need, plus more. Then he multiplies the seed as you sow it, so that the harvest of your generosity will grow.”

2 Corinthians 9:10

Your Time is NOT Yours

I’m a planner. I like to map out my day. Color-coded schedules make my heart smile. Routines and predictability bring me peace. But catch this; God is not concerned with our comfort. He is more concerned with our availability. 

Time to flip the switch. God is the boss of us. We get to work for him. He has some great and mighty things he wants to accomplish. And he needs our help. How cool is that? Therefore, we need to be willing to interrupt our day to tend to some Kingdom business. The only way that will happen is if we listen to the holy spirit and obey him. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more on that.

Have you ever said to yourself, ‘I wish I more time in the day’? I know I say (or at least think it) pretty often. 

Bad news: I can’t make more time for you. 

Good news: I can tell you a new way to spend it. 

Don’t think of your time as your own. Think of time as a gift you have for others. Here are a few examples from a day in the life of me:

• Waking from the dead to tuck my girls into bed long after I’ve entered REM
• Unplanned trips to Target, when my girl has a sudden need to bake.
• Saying, ‘hello,’ instead of sending a call to voice mail.
• Rising before dawn for me-time, before the ‘others’ wake up (anyone else miss the TV show, ‘Lost’?).
• Going to Great Wolf Lodge instead of the spa that seems to only exist in my dreams.
• Delivering a meal for my friend because she fell off the roof and cracked her head.
• Setting work aside for a walk with a friend.
• Driving my friend’s dog to the vet (Did I mention I’m allergic to dogs?).
• Taking off my headphones to speak with a stranger on the plane

Those may seem like silly or insignificant examples. But I’m trying to make a point. We encounter little opportunities throughout our day that add up to something pretty significant and special – if we realize our time is not our own. 

Each example above has one thing in common. They all include putting aside my time and schedule (in all its color-coded glory) for the sake of someone else. 

Is it worth it? Does it make a difference? And all heaven shouted, ‘You bet your bottom dollar!’ The selfish me stays on task and checks all the boxes. The ‘my time is not my own’ me welcomes the interruption. Never underestimate the power of the interruption – it’s God working through you! 

So, the next time God brings a friend in need, and unexpected call or a distraction into your regularly scheduled program, hit the pause button, listen, and obey the holy spirit. There’s a good chance it’s God knocking on your door asking you to help him with some Kingdom business. I’m pretty sure nothing on your color-coded planner is more critical (or rewarding) than His Kingdom business. Try it and see for yourself.

Your Talents are NOT Yours

You know all those abilities you have. The ones that make you special, unique, and different. They are by design. 

• Your keen business mind isn’t meant to make you wealthy (although look at how you can bless others). 
• Your exceptional creativity isn’t meant to make you famous (although what incredible influence you may have). 
• And, your sparkly clean, Pinterest perfect home isn’t meant to make you better than your neighbor (although there are great honor and worth in cultivating your home). 

God gives talents so that He may be glorified. Use them to point others toward Christ. Let his power and love shine in and through you. When you bless others, you advance his kingdom. We each have a choice in how we use our God-given talents. We can use them for good or bad. The beauty of being a follower of Christ is that he gives us free will to decide. The choice is ours to make. 

Your Will is NOT Yours

Your will is the power to choose your actions. It’s pretty typical to think that first place is the best place in terms of wealth, status, education, etc. Those are all good things, but they don’t hold any value in the Kingdom of God. What matters most to God is loving him, loving others, repenting your sin, and obeying his word. When you decide to make those kingdom principals the driving focus of your life, things shift, and change. You begin to walk, talk, think, act, and look different.

So, what does giving up your will look like in everyday life? Let me count the ways:

• Sitting in the back seat so one of my girls can ride shotgun
• Going to Lowe’s with Brian
• Running at a slower pace so that I can spend time with my friends on the trail.
• Watching endless loops of Dude Perfect reels on YouTube
• Listening to the Hamilton soundtrack on repeat
• Eating pizza when I’d rather have a salad or smoothie – just to be with family or friends.

The list goes on and on. The point is, left to me; I don’t pick any of those things on my own. Okay, truth be told, I do love me a good Dude Perfect stereotype clip. But, most of these aren’t my favorites. However, when we choose relationships over our desires – everybody wins. When we sacrifice our own will for the sake of others – life is sweeter. It’s a choice we get to make, all day, every day. Hopefully, we make it willingly and joyfully. It’s sure to be fun, rewarding, and leave your heart happy. 

Life begins when you stop caring about being first, being right, or in control. And that’s why this Christian life looks different. I double-dog dare you to give it a try. And then email me at melissa@melissachu.org and tell me how it goes.

“You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary.”

1 Corinthians 6:19