CCOG Newsletter

Just this weekend, there was a jewel heist in Paris. Thieves entered the largest art museum in the world - The Louvre - to steal the crown jewels from the reign of Napoleon III and Empress Marie-Louise. It is believed that two of the criminals disguised themselves as workers, carrying tools into the museum which helped them break into the display cases. Within seven minutes, they had stolen and escaped with millions of dollars worth of jewels. As of right now, two of the stolen items have been recovered. The rest are being pursued.

What does this have to do with anything, besides an interesting story? Great question! The purpose of the thief is to steal and kill and destroy. While Jesus may have been speaking specifically about false teachers, the ultimate thief is the devil. He will try to sneak in undetected and take away priceless gifts like our peace or joy. But the thing about these treasures is that they are from our heavenly Father, who has unlimited riches. He is able to refill and restore what may seem to be lost forever. Trust Him today to provide abundant life to you.

So how can you discover your Life Gift? How do you find the little bit of extra that you have to share?

A good place to start is to take inventory. As another old song says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your many blessings, see what God has done!” Like the desperate widow, take a look around your house to see what is already on the shelves.

- Check the kitchen and the dining room. Do you like to cook? Is there a spot for someone to enjoy a shared meal at your dining room table? Are there coffee mugs or teacups? Could you share conversation with someone over coffee or tea?

- Check the bedrooms. Are they full? Could God be calling you to adoption or foster care? What about the playroom? Are there toys that need to be played with? Games that could be shared at a VBS or a Boys and Girls Club?

- Check the closets. Do you see blankets or coats that could be keeping someone warm? Maybe you’ll find a pair of running shoes, some exercise equipment, or a bag of golf clubs. Could you share that activity with a child as a coach or mentor? Is there a relationship that could be built during a morning run or on the back nine of the local golf course?

- Check the garage. Do you have reliable transportation that you could share with someone who doesn’t? Do you have crafting supplies or building tools? How could you use those skills for someone else? Better yet, to whom could you teach those skills?

- Check the backyard. Maybe there’s a garden out back. You could share the fruit. You could share the gardening itself.

- Check the walls. Maybe there’s artwork you’ve created hanging there or photos you’ve taken. Maybe someone has never had another person take the time to sketch their portrait or photograph for them.

- Check your calendar. How do you spend your time? What relationships are you investing in? What activities do you look forward to? What are your hobbies, your pastimes, your entertainments? Is there a way you could invite someone new into your life? Or a way you could invest more deeply in someone you already cross paths with?

You may not see right away what your Life Gift is, and that’s okay. Just have your eyes open. When you approach the world with a readiness to hear from God—an openness to the voice of the Holy Spirit—eventually God will speak to you.