"Don't you waste that!"

Have you ever heard that or uttered that? Both for me. I can still hear my mother tell me that when I was young and began to push food around on my plate. I've used it with my daughter telling her to not take out food she didn't want because we didn't want to waste it.

I've also shouted this to someone getting ready to toss a perfectly good cardboard box. To them it was trash. To me it was a way to keep toddlers busy for hours.

I do believe that God might just exclaim this very phrase to us when we waste what He's given to us. I'm not talking about food or cardboard boxes. I'm talking about the gifts and abilities He's given to us Christians.

God never wastes anything. Notice Psalm 139. "Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." So God had plans for me even before I was born. He knew all of the abilities, talents, personality, interests, and experiences that He would afford to me. All to make me into who I am and give me preparation for His service.

God didn't waste anything in making me into who I am. All of the experiences, good or bad, have formed me into the person I am today with more praise and faith.

But, God would ask me not to waste all He has given. I was created to glorify God in my uniqueness and share Christ with others. But, I'll admit, He might need to call out: "Don't you waste that!" I don't always take advantage of the opportunities He gives me. I don't always use my gifts and abilities to reflect back to Him. I don't always see my circumstances as His teachable moments.

Lord, help me not to waste who you've made me to be and the purpose I have to proclaim Your Word.

Think on how God has put you together - everything that makes you unique. Are you serving Him or wasting all He has put into you?