The Parable of The Hungry Martian

My wife and I just got done watching The Martian - a film starring Matt Damon who's character got left behind on Mars. Without spoiling TOO much of the movie, he survived on Mars for nearly two years by eating potatoes. Actually, it wasn't the potatoes that saved him as much as it was his ingenuity. He was botanist!

Do you like figuring out how to do stuff? I absolutely LOVE to do that. I think that's kind of a guy thing. My wife doesn't like figuring out how to do things herself. It's easier for her to just have ME do it. Although I seldom do things according to her time schedule.

Where does the ability to do things come from? These days a lot of it comes from YouTube. Last weekend I wanted to make an omelet so I watched a YouTube video. Seemed simple enough to make so I tried it. Worst . . . omelet . . . ever.

Why are we good at some stuff and not good at other things. Even though we went to the same classes in school, some of us are just better at some things than others. Teachers call people that can do stuff "gifted" or "talented."

I think our "gifts" are given to us by God.

Are you gifted in some way? Is there something you can really do well? I'm not super good at anything. I like to write and I enjoy building stuff . . . and figuring things out. Did God give you the ability to earn money through something you can do? Did He give you a gift that has yet to be discovered? I think He did.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is The Little Drummer Boy. Why? Because the little drummer boy didn't have any physical gift to give the baby, Jesus. But he gave his ability to play the drum - something God had previously given him.

I think that's what God wants us to do. To use the gifts God has given us to glorify Him. What better way to honor the One who saved us by living our lives for Him with the gifts He gave us. Let us live our lives in such a way that we honor God. That, I think, is the ultimate form of worship.

^"10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:10-11

Little Drummer Boy - Pentatonix
The Martian Trailer