Half Empty or Half Full

You may have heard the question, “Is this glass half empty or half full”?

In my experience, when people are asked this question, their answers are typically split 50/50. Take a few minutes to look at the picture. If you look at it carefully, you will recognize the answer is actually “both”. It is half empty and half full. Then what makes people answer the way they do? It boils down to what they are looking at. Do they see what is there or what is missing.

That realization has been a “game changer” for me. This is true with every part of our life. Do we see the blessings the Lord has given us, or do we see the things we don’t have, but feel like we need them to be happy. That reminds me of lyrics in a Rich Mullen song, “Everybody says they need just one thing. What they mean is the just need one thing more.” They never have enough.

Think about your own life. Do you see what the Lord has provided in your life, or do you see the life others are living and feel you are missing something they have? Do you see the differences in the way others think and act and recognize the diversity the Lord has created, or do you see them as lacking something, half empty?

Before I retired most of the positions I held had to do with helping people become better at what they did in their career. After studying about strengths and weaknesses I soon realized the above question was important to observe in placement of people. People should always be working in their area of strength, the “half full” side of who they are.  Observing what talents and passions were natural to each person and then giving them a job that used those strengths was the answer to having happy, productive employees.

This principle is true in all parts of life. I have a six-year-old grandson that is an amazing builder. It can be with Legos or Brio train tracks. He can spend a couple of hours building elaborate layouts with great focus on detail, like bridges, tunnels and overpasses. After the “creation” is finish, he may play with it for a short time, but he quickly tires in the playing and begins additional sections. He loves to build.

Turning that thought to the Body of Christ, each of God’s children is born with their own natural talents. As we grow those talents can be nurtured into something we love to do and are good at. When we became Christian the Holy Spirit came to live in us. He gives us spiritual gifts to be used in the Kingdom. Our goal should be to use the gifts we are given as the Spirit leads.

I saw a sign that read, “The world needs who you were made to be”. I would like to paraphrase that by saying the Kingdom needs you to be what the Lord created you to be. We need to recognize what gifts we have and use them. Use what He has given you. Do not be concerned about what we perceive is missing. We are half full, not half empty.