Using The Utensils God Gave You

Growing up I was blessed with two caring parents who always made sure I had everything I needed. These materials might have not always been the nicest or the newest however I always had whatever I needed. For an example, I had a pair of school shoes, sport shoes, sandals, play shoes, church shoes, and more. While growing up I thought I was living with the materials I “had to have to survive”. Man was I wrong. I had everything I ever needed and then some. I am now realizing what the real basics are one pair of shoes, food, a notebook with some new paper.

I have always wanted more, an extra pair of tennis shoes, new towels, a nicer car. Here at the CYEC the children do not expect extra, they are fine with what they have. I realized this one day when our team was eating dinner with the children. We were hunting for silverware and could not find any. I was hesitant to eat rice and beans with my hands until a young boy looked at all of us and stated something that really stuck with me.

“You should use the utensils God gave you,” and he lifted his hands up.

This concept really made me step back and look at the larger picture. These children are so excited that they have three meals they can depend on each day; they do not worry or care about how they are eating it. They don’t even care what type of food it is, they are happy with just having food. Many times I am upset with my meal not being good enough or what I was crazing, I don’t even appreciate that I am able to easily have food.

These children appreciate everything and do not take things for granted like I do. They are so proud of their broken pair of shoes and their ripped t-shirt because they own it. They do not need 17 v-necks and 12 cardigans like I have. They cherish what God has given them; while I often want more and think I “need” more. Listening to the young boy embrace the idea that you use what God gave you was such an important lesson and idea for me. These children are truly inspirational. They do not care about all of these materials, they rejoice in what God has given to them in their lives.