By Tonya S. Swindell

When my daughter stepped into the room with a plan to empty her cup of unwanted orange juice, she didn’t know I had worked up a thirst for what was in her cup. I gladly swallowed what she was about to discard. And the sustenance she provided met my needs.

In a similar manner, many people desire to receive or be blessed by the talents, gifts and abilities that others may possess. Pastor, author and teacher, Dr. Caretha Crawford encouraged individuals via Facebook saying, “There is more in you than you realize. Release it so the world can be blessed by it.”

In her weekly blog, “Wisdom for Victorious Living,” Dr. Crawford encouraged the reader to consider how the Lord will respond when He returns and finds that believers have used their gifts and talents to meet the needs of others. She offered the following prayer: “Lord, thank you for the gifts and talents You have invested in me. You did not give me more than I can handle. Please give me the wherewithal to be the kind of investor that glorifies You. Amen.”

Mike Wilt, author of the Oct. 9, 2019, entry for “The Upper Room” daily devotional, compared meeting the needs of others to making valuable financial investments. He stated, “…Before I retired, I had thought about investing only in the context of money. But afterward, I started asking myself, ‘How can I invest in my Christianity and in leading a life of faith?’

“Now I daily set aside time for devotional reading and prayer. Also, I try always to act justly and to love others. I believe that investing my actions in this way will help to sustain my relationship with God and my service to others.

“Only God can evaluate our actions and judge the return on our investment. If we want to be like Christ, then we will invest in ways that serve others.”

Aung San Suu Kyi, whom Wikipedia described as “a Burmese politician, diplomat, author and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1991),” is credited with saying, “If you’re feeling helpless, help someone else.” Her sentiment suggests meeting the needs of others also helps bring fulfillment to the giver.

Joshua Berrier, author of the Oct. 12, 2019, entry from “The Upper Room,” acknowledged how uncomfortable it may feel to invest in others. He wrote, “Stepping out of our comfort zone is not easy, but Jesus teaches us to help those in need. When God calls us to lend a hand to someone, it may not be in the most comfortable situation, and we may risk being rejected. But isn’t the risk worth it?”

Sometimes I underestimate my ability to bless people through the use of my God-given talents. I also devalue the tools and abilities He gave me to impact others within my sphere of influence. It may be helpful to remember that many people are eager to receive what God blessed me to give.

Tonya Swindell is an occupational therapist. She is also a teacher for Kingdom Building Institute (kingdombuildinginstitute.org). She can be reached at 1brightot@gmail.com.