You Ungrateful Wretch

Have you ever asked for something, received it, and forgot you asked?

I think that is a terrible way to treat someone that gives you a gift.  I did it though, to the Lord. I asked God to bless me with the talent of playing the guitar.  It has been a desire of mine, for most of my adult life.

Ungratefully, I haven’t acting on it with the fervor of someone who really wanted it until the pandemic and my wife’s illness. I could have been so much better by now if I had acted earlier. 

I don’t know when I actually prayed about it -it was so long ago. I thank God for it now though almost every night. In hindsight, it was probably when I was pastoring.  During that time, I received an American Stratocaster in exchange for a .45 caliber pistol I received in trade. 

Now, I am writing to remember and remind myself of my blessings.  Here’s four ways to bless God with His gift to you.

1.  Use Your Talents to Serve Others: Many believe that by using their abilities to help others, they are honoring God. This could be through volunteer work, mentoring, or any form of service that benefits the community.

Proverbs 11:25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

2.  Develop Your Talents: Continuously improving and mastering your skills can be seen as a form of stewardship of the gifts you've been given.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 1 Peter 4:10 -

3.  Incorporate Faith into Your Work: Whatever your field or talent, you can integrate your faith or values into your work, creating a sense of purpose that aligns with your spiritual beliefs.

…and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.  Colossians 3:23-24 KJV

4.  Prayer and Intention: Setting a clear intention or prayer that your work and talent be used in a way that is pleasing to God can be a form of dedication.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Phil 4:6

5.  Give Back: Donating a portion of the proceeds from your talent-related work to causes you believe in can be another way to dedicate your talent.

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 22:9

Why don't people want to pay musicians?

I'm sure you've heard it before: "Music is free, man. Why should I pay for something I can stream online or download from a torrent site?"

Well, let me tell you why you should pay for music, and why musicians deserve to be compensated for their work.

First of all, music is not free. It costs money to produce, record, distribute, and promote music. Musicians have to pay for instruments, equipment, studio time, engineers, producers, managers, lawyers, and more. They also have to spend hours practicing, writing, rehearsing, and performing their songs. And they have to deal with the stress, pressure, and competition of the music industry. Do you think Beyoncé just woke up one day and decided to drop Lemonade? No, she worked hard for it. And she probably paid more for her lemonade than you did for yours.

Second of all, music is valuable. It enriches our lives, inspires us, entertains us, educates us, and connects us with others. Music can make us happy, sad, angry, or excited. Music can heal us, motivate us, comfort us, or challenge us. Music can express what words cannot. Music is a form of art, and art is priceless. Well, not literally priceless. You still have to pay for it. But you get the point.

Third of all, music is a profession. Musicians are not hobbyists or amateurs who do it for fun. They are professionals who dedicate their lives to their craft. They have skills, talent, and experience that deserve recognition and respect. They have bills to pay, families to support, and dreams to pursue. They have the right to earn a living from their work. And they don't get paid by the hour. They get paid by the song. And sometimes not even that. Have you heard of Spotify? Yeah, they pay peanuts.

be a blessing

If you know someone in a nursing home, or assisted living facility that you used to speak to regularly, go visit them.  Inside an aging body, is the soul of a person you love.  Get past the sensory issues of housing of human beings in some stage of decline.  It may smell. You might hear someone scream out.  It might be too warm for you.  You might see an improperly dressed person, showing all their splendor accidently or on purpose. 

Get through that, and visit your person.  They need the interaction.  We all do.  Isolation is torture.  Human touch is needed by the living. Your presence will keep the strangers that work there on their toes.  Your visit, will alert others that there is a person that is connected in their care.  They are not faceless, nameless things to abuse, neglect, steal from, hurt, or ignore.

These are people.  Seniors usually that have accomplished lifetimes of things, now restricted because of health or mental capacity.  It is still a person in there. Don't let them be forgotten.

And if you don't know anyone but have the bandwidth and capacity to help others, volunteer. You cand help read to residents, listen to their stories, and walk with them. Increase their quality of life.

To volunteer at nursing homes:

• Research the nursing home you are interested in.

• Set up a visit.

• Apply and complete additional paperwork.

• Attend an interview and background check.

• Attend orientation and training.

Be a blessing.