Walking Along Side

What is in your hand?

 

I recently watched a talk from Rick Warren at a Hillsong Conference.  The talk was based on a simple question.  What is in your hand?  Rick explained that since the birth of Purpose Driven Life he found influence and affluence in his hand.  In Rick's mind, then came the next question.  What are you doing with what is in your hand?

This message is part of a carefully orchestrated plan of discovery that God is taking me through.  What are the talents and gifts that He has blessed me with?  Then, more importantly, what am I doing with those gifts?

See, I belive that when a person recognizes what is in their hand and they use it to the fullest, their life is full, better yet overflowing.

Sadly, when this discussion begins, many belive that this is an exercise of pride and ego.  Here's the bottom line, contemplating how we have been crafted, molded and shaped is not about building my kingdom, it is about how I will be used.

I encourge you to ask yourself a very powerfull question.  What is in my hand?

The Reality of Racism

Today I received a call that really blew me away.  The caller was inquiring about renting a room at our cabin up the hill.  The caller was a women, she introduced herself by saying that she is calling on behalf of someone else who is looking for an apartment.  Her first question was "am I willing to rent to an african american man"?   I did not respond right away as I wasn't sure if I was being punked or if this women was being serious.  So after pulling the phone from my ear and looking at it as if it were a foreign object, I replied with "of course, we rent to any and all people regardless of race".  She said, "ok let me have you talk to my husband".  The husband got on the phone and began to explain the situation.  He said that they have been helping an older african american gentlemen for quite some time and the apartment he is living in is just too expensive.  He went on to say that as soon as people learn that a potential renter is a black man their apartments become unavailable.  I assured him that their friend is more than welcome to come look at our place and to let us know if he is interested in renting from us.

So after this conversation I have quite a few thoughts rolling around in my head:

• I will never know what it means to be hated for the color of my skin
• While Barack Obama has been elected President and equality marches on, racism and bigotry are still openly accepted in many walks of life
• What is going on with the callers, what's the thinking behind their question
• I am wrestling with my response to the callers, should I have challenged their question and asked them how they felt about people being rejected based on the color of their skin

I have a feeling this is going to stay with me for a few days.