Is It a Gift if You Don't Use It?

     In last week's Flat Tire Ministries Thought for the Week the idea that each day is a gift and that it is our responsibility to make the most out of each day we are given was our topic of discussion. Each day is like a present that is given without any expectation of getting anything back in return. The hope of a gift is that it will bring happiness to the recipient, and then in turn the "happy" recipient will go about the business of spreading that happiness to those he or she comes in contact with on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, there is more than one type of reaction and response to receiving a gift and a great deal of those responses are not positive. What do you do when you get up in the morning with a new gift staring you in the face? Let's look at some possible responses and see if any of these fit your personage. If you relate to one or more and don't like it, don't worry the good part is that a change in behavior is always possible, and you are the captain of your vessel.
     Most people receive gifts at some point in the year whether it is a birthday, holiday, and other special occasion such as anniversaries or other celebrations. In our analogy of each day being like a gift, we can all relate to the fact that just as some gifts are better than others so are some days better than others. But guess what? Each of those days is still a gift and regardless if we wake up and it is raining cats and dogs or if when we roll out of bed and our back is aching or your head is hurting, you have just received a gift! It's called perspective and attitude. Having a positive one in each case makes our lives so much better. When you receive a gift from a friend or loved one it's exactly the same. You choose your response and you decide how you will use that gift.
     The first type of reaction and response is to put the gift in the closet. You get a gift and upon opening said  gift you think to yourself, I will never use this. It won't fit me. I don't like the color. Or you fill in the blank with your own negative reaction. So what happens? We place the gift in the closet and it sits there collecting dust and just taking up space. Some people do this each day. They wake up and say to themselves, "Well I wonder what kind of bad luck is going to fall on me today?" Or "Well it looks like it's going to be another hot, cold, rainy, cloudy, or whatever condition keeps you from making the most of the day, so I'll just stay in the bed." Even worse is when we continue to feed that negative mindset until it becomes who we are in all areas of life as well. According to the Losada Line, created by Chilean psychologist Maricial Losada a positivity researcher, it takes three positive comments to offset the effects of one negative comment. How sad it is when a person becomes the Eeyore in the house, at work, or in other social settings.
     The second response to receiving a gift is the person that is really excited about getting the gift, but instead of getting the most out of it they place it on the shelf and then spend the rest of their days talking about what they are going to do with it. Each day we wake up with a ton of opportunities. We either take advantage of those opportunities or we just sit around letting them pass by much like a train that speeds down the tracks. Today is the gift not tomorrow or next month, or even next year. We have no guarantees of tomorrow. See James 4:13-15 for more on this. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that goes something like this, the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today. Don't be a procrastinator!
     Our third type of gift recipient thinks the best thing to do with a gift is to re-gift it. They are given a wonderful present, yet in their mind it would be a better gift for someone else. They don't need it and someone else would definitely benefit from it. This person believes someone else should be doing what needs to be done instead of themselves. The gift of each day should not be passed off to somebody else to complete what you were created to do. Remember last week and the whole idea that "Today is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it" Psalm 118:24.  Nowhere does it say today is the day that the Lord made and I would rather let someone else enjoy it for me or instead of me. You were created for a purpose and YOU should be the one that fulfills that purpose.
     The last recipient we are going to discuss today is the one that understands that today is a gift and that as I just stated they understand that the day was made for them to enjoy and partake of what it has to offer. When this person receives a gift he or she is grateful for the giver's thoughtfulness and thankful for the gift regardless of what it is. Being thankful and grateful makes us appreciate the gift even more because this person realizes the gift could be gone as quickly as it came to be. Having been given the gift this person also looks for ways to share in their good fortune because they know how good the gift made them feel and they want others to experience that same feeling inside.
     When you wake up with this mentality each day, the gift of a day becomes so much more. You will not want to let the day go by as "just another day", you will take advantage of it and get the most out of it as possible. Realize today is a gift. It is precious and it will never be available again. Today is only offered once, don't let it slip away and don't procrastinate. Live it and share it!
Coach Carter