Don’t panic! This is good news, although a bit delayed and totally embarrassing.
The other day while in a two-week self-quarantine from travel and coronavirus concerns, I realized that I could either dust or organize Christmas letters and cards … I can barely say this … dated 2016-19. Not that I was bored after alphabetizing the spice cabinet.
These heartfelt greetings and smiles that have reached across the miles … and years … had been placed into my highly efficient filing system: A Nordstrom’s shopping bag.
As I sorted through the stack, definitely a choking hazard as dust rose, what was revealed inside one envelope circa 2017 made me almost leap for joy. Not wanting to throw my back out, I decided to just shout in ecstasy instead.
Yahoo! A Starbucks gift card was inside!
The prospect of a trip to the nearest barista had me almost head over heels when suddenly time slowed to a crawl. There were still three days left until I could have the good luck to stand behind someone ordering a “quad ristretto, no foam, one stevia, extra hot latte.”
So, rather than picking up a dusting cloth in the interim or writing an apologetic thank you, I decided to do a little online research.
Did you know that according to CNBC reporter Annie Nova and Mercator Advisory Group, up to $3 billion worth of gift cards go unused each year?
Whoa! That’s a lot of gifts going to waste! And I imagine the retailers and banks that get the money returned to them may actually be doing cartwheels.
But one quote in the reporter’s article that really struck me was from Providence College professor Dan Horne, “The recipient’s part of the bargain is to accept the giver’s gift.”
It stands to reason that if we ignore the gift, or overlook it, then it’s a sad loss for both.
I think it’s the same way with the gifts — our talents and abilities — that God gives us. Granted, we may be busy so we bury these gifts in the back of our mind, sort of place them on hold for a better time. Or maybe we’d just rather play it safe and not step out of our comfort zone.
But like the plastic gift cards, our talents gifted to us from our creator are worthless if we don’t use them. And like some gift cards, they come with an expiration date. Just take a look at the obituaries to see there are only so many days available to take advantage of what we’ve been given.
So let’s not squander our gifts.
Got a beautiful voice? A flair for playing a musical instrument? How about the ability to lead, or the knack to inspire? It may happen that if you use your gift, God can take you far beyond your wildest imagination (Psalm 139:13-14, Jeremiah 29:11).
That’s what he did for me years ago when he took a young mom with a gift for gab and expanded her plan to his. A present that keeps on giving.
So dust off your gift and go for it!
