The chairs are lined up in the middle of the floor in a pattern of front facing and back facing. There are nine chairs and ten players. The person who controls the music quickly reminds the players of the rules. “When the music starts, walk clockwise around the chairs. You can’t touch the chairs. When the music stops, sit down. Obviously, there are not enough seats for everyone. Whoever is left without a seat is out. Have fun!” 

And with that, the game begins. This is a rowdy bunch. The onlookers watch attentively as the players allow their hands to graze each chair they pass, contrary to the aforementioned instructions. They are tense and anticipating the silence. Around and around they go. The music stops. Mayhem ensues. There is pushing and yelling. One person is out. A chair is taken away. The air thickens. The pressure increases. The base from the music cause a slight tremble in the floor.  Hands graze the chairs. The onlookers become dizzy as the players circle the chairs repeatedly.  The music stops. A player is out. A chair is removed. The cycle repeats until two players remain. One lonely chair sits in the middle of the room. The pressure to win is at an all time high. The music starts. The bass reverberates. Around and around they go. All eyes are glued on them. The anticipation is high. The music stops. A winner is crowned. Her face shines with glee as she defeated her opponents, she is the winner!

The game described above strangely mirrors the mindset of many. People believe there is not enough room at the table for everyone so it is a kill or be killed mentality. Only one person can be on top. Only one person can “win.” This way of thinking causes people to hoard their resources instead of lending a helping hand. It breeds jealously of another person’s accomplishments instead of celebrating together. It encourages isolation instead of collaboration. It even hinders one from pursuing their dreams because they feel there is no room for them; they insist that area is filled to capacity. If I could be fully transparent, I hate to admit in some ways this perception crept into my mind. Take this blog for instance. How many blogs are out there? Does the world really need another blog?

One day, I was having a great conversation with friend sharing the plot of a screenplay she was writing. Her passion for the project was evident and our dialogue was rich. At some point, our conversation shifted. We shared our discontent with the level of competition between people with similar talents. (In our case, we are both writers.) She then proceeded to paint a word picture which beautifully articulated something I have known all along. Imagine you are in a club. You notice a disco ball oscillating in the center of the dance floor. As you gaze upon it, you notice it’s light only hits some people directly. Though the room is filled, it only touches some. In that moment it was so clear. We were created to reach and touch different people in different ways. You and I can be doing the same exact thing and both be successful and prosperous in our endeavors. Does the world need another blog? Clearly I believe the answer is yes. Besides, God told me to use my gifts so I am just being obedient. I hope you are too!

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gifts you have freely given me. Help me to daily use them to serve others and to point them back to You. Help me to be a faithful steward of the things you have entrusted to me. Forgive me for the times I have allowed outside forces (jealousy, comparison, etc.) stop me from obeying You. Thank you for the grace to hear You and obey.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as a faithful steward of God’s grace in its various forms.