Don't Toss It Away

When we lived in Wisconsin, occasionally we’d take our kids to UW basketball games. During some of the time-outs, the cheerleaders and pom-pom girls would go through the seating areas and throw little red basketballs into the stands for people to keep as souvenirs. There were probably a hundred or so scattered among ten to twelve thousand people. One came flying our way and the people in front and behind us reached for it, bobbling it up and down several times. Junior, was a young teenager at the time, stuck his hand out and caught it. He was doing a typical teenage thing (not thinking) and looked over at the girl who had just thrown it to him, and tossed it back to her. She just threw it in another direction.I said, “What did you do that for? You were supposed to keep it!” (In the mean time, we saw others diving over entire rows trying to get to the ball he had just thrown back to the cheerleader.)“Oh,” he said, “I didn’t know… I just thought… well, I didn’t know what was happening… so I threw it back.”He had something good in his hand, but because he did not take the time to consider what he had, he threw it away.I know men and women who have done that with their marriages. They did not know what they had until they had thrown it away. I know people who have done that with their jobs, children, their friendships, and their church.James 1:17 says, “Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above.” For most of us, if not all of us, we have it really good. This hits me every time I travel abroad, especially to third world countries. Most of us enjoy great health. We are all very wealthy in comparison to the rest of the world. We have close friends, and many of us have wonderful families. Do you realize it? Or have you not given much thought to what you have, and therefore, are about to throw it away?Next time you are tempted to complain, stop and think, and appreciate. Think about all of the people in the world who would give everything to have what you have. Consider what kind of wife she really is… rather than complain about the traits you wish you could change. Think about the blessing it is to have your job and all the benefits that come with it. Consider how grateful you should be for having the good husband that you have, rather than griping about his shortcomings. When we do not appreciate God’s gifts, we put ourselves in danger of throwing them away.But God’s greatest gift for you is His offer of salvation. You have right before you the gift of eternal life. He has tossed it to you by way of His Son, Jesus Christ. What will you do with it?“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” – John 1:12