She squeals with delight as I shuffle cards, like I’m a magician and can magically float cards through the air. She keeps asking me to do it “again”. I stop until she says the proper words, “agin pese Gigi”. Clapping and squealing, you would think I was a miracle worker. She runs and gives me hugs when I come to visit and asks for me when I’m gone. I would move heaven and earth for her if it was in her best interest.
I continue shuffling cards as she eats her second breakfast. I joke around with her and pretend I’m going to eat all her French toast and suddenly she gets territorial and angry. “MINE” she exclaims as she circles her arms around her plastic plate. “No Gigi, MINE”, just to make the point.
How quickly I go from being a miracle worker to the enemy.
In reality, I am the one that bought the bread and eggs, had the idea to make French toast, beat the eggs and added the seasonings, soaked the bread and grilled it to perfection, cut the pieces up in 2-year-old-hand-size shapes, poured a small amount of syrup for her to “dip dip”, put it all on her plate and gave it to her.
MINE she exclaims like I had nothing to do with the delicacy in front of her.
I wonder what God sees in us as he sits across the table from us during this pandemic. I know he delights in me even more than my granddaughter does. I know he would move heaven and earth on my account if it would glorify him. He has uniquely created me with my own gifts and talents, given me opportunities to use those gifts and talents, blessed me with food and shelter and family, he has literally worked miracles in my life.
Suddenly it seems like he might take some of that away from me and I exclaim MINE as I circle my arms around my “possessions”. My travel schedule, my house, my food, my job, my stocks, my relationships, and yes, even my toilet paper, MINE.
Our time at the breakfast table went from a giggling, squealing, laughing exchange to one of strife and disappointment. In an instant the tone was changed and now no one was having fun.
I wonder.
I wonder if I could look at my travel schedule, my house, my food, my job, my stocks, my relationships and even my toilet paper as NOT MINE? I wonder if I could look at it all as Gods’, given to me as a gift to enjoy and to share? I wonder if I could take some of all of it and give it away?
I wonder how much I can give? Not how much I can keep.
Acts 2: 43-45 (The Message)
Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.