What Are You Connected To?

Proverbs 18:16(KJV):
"A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men."

This is a very powerful verse, and states that a man who presents a gift to someone will gain an audience with him. This verse can be looked at in two ways. First, some men use gifts to bribe or manipulate others for a favor that they are desiring. This verse also applies to God's gifts to men also. If we are gifted by God it will make room for us to gain an audience or favor before great men of authority. The Bible speaks of this in the New Testament as Paul, the apostle, gained an audience and the right to preach before King Agrippa (Acts 25) and other men of authority. We do not have to use gifts or money to buy our way into any situation when we have God's favor, as He will gift us with that favor and make room for us.

When I think about gifts and them making room for me, I think about a connection. A divine connection. An infinite connection. You see, in order to for a gift to make room for you, there has to be a "connection" or link to something to facilitate that process. Think about it. When you start your car to drive whatever your destination, you turn the key in the ignition then the current in the battery "connects" to the alternator to achieve the desired result of your car starting. Working in this analogy, one might say that the connection was made possible by the working "connection" of the car's electrical system or core. Imagine if you will, your core for a moment. Your inner-self or spiritual self. Your core is needed to facilitate or connect the process of you getting the desired result, much like a car's electrical system is needed in order to start a car when you turn the key.

As we individually start to examine what our spiritual gifts represent for us and how those gifts are brought forward, we can not omit that we must be connected to a spiritual center or core for the process to work effectively. In evaluating myself personally, I have started examining closely the things that I am intimately connected to as well as extracting the meaning and value they have in my life. Things like family, friends, career, education, and home are very important to me. Additionally, what I have started to notice is that constantly examining and evaluating the things that I have in my life versus the things I value is therapeutic in that I can objectively look at areas of my life that need to be amended.

So, as I close this thought, I leave you with this; as you go through life experiencing all of your challenges and successes, look at how your values and desires are intricately connected to your gifts. If you find yourself in a space where you aren't sure of your next move or even how you arrived at your current station in life....it might be helpful for you to ask yourself...

What Am I Connected To?