DE Ponderings
by Kevin Kessler, District Executive
The price sticker on the back of the book read $26.50. I bought the book brand new, not for the sticker price, but for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree store where everything is a dollar or less. After spending time with the book, I determined I got a real bargain. It’s written by Robert Fulghum and entitled What on Earth Have I Done? Stories, Observations, and Affirmations. You may recognize the author’s name. He also wrote the #1 bestseller, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. If you have a Dollar Tree store near you, check to see if the book is stocked on their shelves. It’s well worth the dollar.
The back flap of the book’s dust jacket states that Fulghum is “one of America’s great essayists, a man who has two feet planted firmly on the earth, one eye on the heavens, and, at times, a tongue planted firmly in his cheek.” This may be the reason I’ve found the book such a delight to read. Fulghum writes with confidence about life’s experiences, yet with a humble attitude of not always getting it right. In the midst of mistakes, he is able to laugh at himself while adding tongue-in-cheek humor. Amazingly, Fulghum draws me into his stories in such a way that I feel like I’m a participant, sharing in the roller coaster of emotions evident in his writing. Many of Fulghum’s stories leave me in a reflective mood, as well, providing opportunity to ponder upon my own life experiences or to consider responses to rhetorical questions he poses.
This particular interrogatory statement from his book is an example: “The question is not, ‘Is what you have sufficient?’ but ‘Are you sufficient for what you have?’” I was immediately impacted by this statement, but I began to reflect upon it more deeply as I read again these words I penned regarding my call to ministry: I believe that the call to ministry is never static; in other words, a call for a specific ministry does not preclude a person from considering additional ministry opportunities. In fact, a call to a specific ministry opens up the floodgate to many opportunities, especially if a person is willing to explore, study, learn, and grow. This has been especially true for me as I have found that the more I explore, study, learn, and grow the more opportunities arise for engaging in some new phase of ministry. The parable of the talents applies (Matthew 25:14-30). As we wisely use and increase what God has given to us, more will be added for us to care for. I believe we fail to be a blessing to God if we fail to take on added responsibility. At the very least, exploring and counting the cost of a new commitment seems appropriate, if not imperative.
What I have is of less importance than what I do with what I have. Giving sufficient attention to what I have presently will ensure the sufficiency of what I have in the future, and what I will be able to do.
Still true today is the old adage that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Why? Because, speaking strictly anecdotally, those who are working most diligently are comfortable with the sufficiency of what they have and are sufficient in using it. As a result, more is piled on their plate because it becomes known how sufficient they are, thus, their sufficiency is rewarded (not hampered) in the confidence others have in them to do even more.
Being sufficient may seem like a curse—added responsibility—but the reality is that sufficiency is a blessing. The blessing is twofold. The sufficient one is duly recognized as a very capable person. Additionally, the needs of those being served will be met.
The Apostle Paul asked three times to have the “thorn” removed from his flesh. Much speculation surrounds what the “thorn” may have been. Maybe Paul felt overwhelmed with the responsibility heaped upon him to take the gospel to the Gentile nations. Could it be he felt insufficient? Remember the words he received? “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
When God’s power becomes our sufficiency, the answer to the question, Are you sufficient for what you have, seems obvious.
The price sticker on the back of the book read $26.50. I bought the book brand new, not for the sticker price, but for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree store where everything is a dollar or less. After spending time with the book, I determined I got a real bargain. It’s written by Robert Fulghum and entitled What on Earth Have I Done? Stories, Observations, and Affirmations. You may recognize the author’s name. He also wrote the #1 bestseller, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. If you have a Dollar Tree store near you, check to see if the book is stocked on their shelves. It’s well worth the dollar.The back flap of the book’s dust jacket states that Fulghum is “one of America’s great essayists, a man who has two feet planted firmly on the earth, one eye on the heavens, and, at times, a tongue planted firmly in his cheek.” This may be the reason I’ve found the book such a delight to read. Fulghum writes with confidence about life’s experiences, yet with a humble attitude of not always getting it right. In the midst of mistakes, he is able to laugh at himself while adding tongue-in-cheek humor. Amazingly, Fulghum draws me into his stories in such a way that I feel like I’m a participant, sharing in the roller coaster of emotions evident in his writing. Many of Fulghum’s stories leave me in a reflective mood, as well, providing opportunity to ponder upon my own life experiences or to consider responses to rhetorical questions he poses.
This particular interrogatory statement from his book is an example: “The question is not, ‘Is what you have sufficient?’ but ‘Are you sufficient for what you have?’” I was immediately impacted by this statement, but I began to reflect upon it more deeply as I read again these words I penned regarding my call to ministry: I believe that the call to ministry is never static; in other words, a call for a specific ministry does not preclude a person from considering additional ministry opportunities. In fact, a call to a specific ministry opens up the floodgate to many opportunities, especially if a person is willing to explore, study, learn, and grow. This has been especially true for me as I have found that the more I explore, study, learn, and grow the more opportunities arise for engaging in some new phase of ministry. The parable of the talents applies (Matthew 25:14-30). As we wisely use and increase what God has given to us, more will be added for us to care for. I believe we fail to be a blessing to God if we fail to take on added responsibility. At the very least, exploring and counting the cost of a new commitment seems appropriate, if not imperative.
What I have is of less importance than what I do with what I have. Giving sufficient attention to what I have presently will ensure the sufficiency of what I have in the future, and what I will be able to do.
Still true today is the old adage that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Why? Because, speaking strictly anecdotally, those who are working most diligently are comfortable with the sufficiency of what they have and are sufficient in using it. As a result, more is piled on their plate because it becomes known how sufficient they are, thus, their sufficiency is rewarded (not hampered) in the confidence others have in them to do even more.
Being sufficient may seem like a curse—added responsibility—but the reality is that sufficiency is a blessing. The blessing is twofold. The sufficient one is duly recognized as a very capable person. Additionally, the needs of those being served will be met.
The Apostle Paul asked three times to have the “thorn” removed from his flesh. Much speculation surrounds what the “thorn” may have been. Maybe Paul felt overwhelmed with the responsibility heaped upon him to take the gospel to the Gentile nations. Could it be he felt insufficient? Remember the words he received? “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
When God’s power becomes our sufficiency, the answer to the question, Are you sufficient for what you have, seems obvious.
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