Counterfeit Giftedness
In the year 1880, there was a painter in America named Emmanuel Ningger.
One day, Ningger went to a wholesale store to buy all the basic necessities for his family. Ningger brought lunch from home and $20.
All the items were already in Ningger's shopping basket, and then he approached the cashier to pay. The cashier accepted the $20 and gave change to Ningger.
What happened next was that the cashier's hands became sweaty. Then he noticed streaks and lines on his hands when he held the $20 given by Ningger.
He reported it to his manager, and the manager called a police officer who identified that the $20 bill was undoubtedly counterfeit. The police immediately went to Ningger's house and arrested the counterfeiter.
What's astonishing is that during the police investigation, they found that Ningger had forged the $20 bill by painting it with his own hands! The result was extraordinary, exactly the same!
Had it not been for the "bleeding" paint, he might never have been caught.
Interestingly, while searching his property, the police discovered three paintings in Ningger's workshop that, if sold, would have been worth no less than $5000!
*Actual image of a Ningger $100 note.
Isn't it ironic? Ningger needed only to invest the same amount of time and talent to paint his counterfeit $20 bills as to create paintings worth $5000 or more. Same investment but very different values and outcomes.
He was a $5000 calibre painter, but, unfortunately, he was unable to see or tap into the value of his own talent and potential.
Scripture is clear:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights ... " (James 1:17, NIV).
And as God has distributed His gifts to us, He expects us to use them for both the good of others, and for His glory.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace ..." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV).
"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness" (Romans 12:6-8, ESV).
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ... Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:17, 23-24, NIV).
Yet all too often, either by virtue of our own spiritual blindness (or even spiritual laziness) we fail to recognize the giftedness the Lord implanted within us. In shortsightedness, we squandor His blessings.
We are inherently valuable, yet we'd rather settle for a petty counterfeit version of our giftedness than tap into the true talent (both spiritual and otherwise) that God has lavished upon us.
Why be a Ningger when you can be a Michaelangelo?!
Working Together
Snowflakes are frail, but if enough of them stick together, they can stop traffic.
Likewise, by God's design, the lone Christian has little impact on the world. But when two or three are gathered together, that's when Christ's presence is felt (Matthew 18:20). When the diverse gifts of the individual members of a local church begin operating cooperatively, that's when impactful ministry takes place (1Corinthians 12:12).
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many" (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
Lost Border Collie Found Herding Sheep
Tilly, the 2-year-old Border Collie who was ejected from a car Sunday during a crash, has been found.
He was found on a sheep farm, where he had apparently taken up the role of sheep herder.
According to Tilly's owner, he has lost some weight since Sunday's crash and is now drinking lots of water but is otherwise healthy.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
RATHDRUM, Idaho -
The Idaho State Police (ISP) is investigating after a crash blocked SH-41 and Hayden Avenue on Sunday afternoon.
ISP said they are looking for people who witnessed the incident.
The crash happened when a GMC Yukon towing a white horse trailer attempted to turn south onto SH-41 when a Buick struck the GMC.
The driver of the Buick, a man from Spirit Lake, was transported to a nearby hospital and was treated and released. No one else was injured.
During the crash, a dog was ejected from the rear of the GMC and is still missing.
ISP said the dog is a 2-year-old Border Collie Heeler mix that goes by the name "Tilly". Tilly has no tail, a dark-colored face, weighs approximately 70 pounds, and was wearing a multi-colored plaid and tan-colored collar with a name tag containing the owner's contact information.
Tilly was last seen running northwest from the crash scene through the field.
No one should be surprised that a Border Collie would be found herding sheep. Some things you are just born to do!
Maybe Tilly didn’t even realize what was in him until he saw that first sheep and instinct kicked in. "Finally!" He said.
What were you born again to do?
"Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you" (1 Timothy 4:14).