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Ten8 Fire

2020 Corporate Verse

B. Keith Chapman, President & CEO

 

Proverbs 3:27 (NLT) “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.”

 

Our corporate verse for 2020 is probably best understood by also reading the next verse in the passage. Proverbs 3:28 says, “If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, come back tomorrow, and then I’II help you”. These passages focus on our responsibility to help others and the timing in which we choose to take action. We all retain the ability, regardless of our background, knowledge or financial status, to do good things for the people around us. We may not be able to buy a house for someone in need, but we could certainly volunteer to help them move. Our priorities and schedules can often cause us to miss an opportunity to provide assistance to someone who needs it. It is not the amount that is given that makes the greatest impact. Rather, it is the timing and the sincerity of the giver’s heart.

 

An unknown author once said, “A person’s most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen and a hand willing to help others.” The world today puts a tremendous emphasis on knowledge and higher education. While these are key elements that lay a foundation for success, the author makes a strong point. You can be full of knowledge, but without application, it would all go to waste. Likewise, you can have many resources, skills and abilities, but if not used for the greater good of others, you will miss the main point of this proverb. Our blessings and talents are not given just to benefit us personally. Rather, they come with a responsibility to use them to help those around us.

 

If you are like me, you don’t enjoy asking for help. So you tend to figure something out by yourself, even when it would have been much easier and less stressful with some assistance. As you navigate the challenges in life, you come to appreciate those who have made it a point to provide support and assistance during a time of need. The most impactful actions tend to be those that occur in perfect timing. I can think of several times in the past in which someone was kind enough to provide assistance, and they did so without asking if I wanted help. They knew that I would benefit from their assistance whether I asked for help or not. So, they just took action and made it happen. The truth is, if they would have asked me if I needed something, I would have most likely said no. Sometimes just showing up has the greatest impact.

 

Whether you are receiving or giving help, there is a blessing on each side. With the craziness of life, the receiver and the giver will switch roles from time to time. As we enter into 2020, we will be faced with opportunities to support, encourage and provide assistance to others. Don’t let the busyness of life cause you to miss an opportunity to help others. Likewise, be careful not to steal the joy from others interested in helping you along the way. A gracious receiver makes a joyful giver.

 

Challenge: Don’t miss the opportunity to help others. Remember that timing matters and you may have to reprioritize a few things. Focus on becoming a gracious receiver as it will make you an even better giver.

 

Have a blessed 2020!

 

Published: January 1, 2020

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