Over the years, I have watched people spend much of their time looking around and comparing themselves to others to decide who they should be and what they should do. The problem with this is that the energy spent and disappointment found in this habit only detracts from the essential factor needed. I call this factor an individual’s gift. Imagine if you were baking bread. To have the result of a wonderful-tasting loaf of bread, each portion of the ingredients must play its part. You have flour, sugar, salt, milk, yeast, oil, and some variations or secret ingredients that may play a role. On one occasion, a minor but catastrophic mistake was made as I was mixing the initial elements to create the dough. I accidentally measured out the salt in place of the sugar. Typically, I place one tablespoon of salt and ½ cup of sugar in my recipe. I knew there was a problem when the bread would not rise, but I assumed there was a problem with the yeast. When I tasted the dough before cooking it, the problem became apparent. My dough was unusable. It was so salty that I about choked. I needed the salt to be salt and the sugar to be sugar. No matter how much the sugar wanted to be salt, it was a bad idea and spoiled the day.

Here is the moral of the story. Each of us brings something different to the recipe called life. You may be the flour that holds it all together, the sugar or salt that balances the flavor, or the oil and liquid that allows all the ingredients to mix properly. Whatever role you play, please do your part well. It is the combination of the elements coming together that make a recipe work. You are uniquely valuable, and when you look at your neighbor and think they have more value or importance, you will try and take on characteristics that are harmful to the overall cause. 

• Please take a moment to consider what is one thing you excel at, or that makes you feel fulfilled. 

• How can you share that gift with your family, neighbor, or community?

• Is it possible that the person who doesn’t look or sound like you have a purpose? 

As I shared last month, the doctors removed a large tumor from my brain in January. During my recovery from my surgery, many friends took the time to send a card and write an encouraging word. Those cards made me smile and helped me through my darker moments. However, a couple of those wrote and sent these cards regularly, others took the time to share their skills with cooking, and some even dropped by the house to help my wife with repairs. They each had their way of being an encouragement to my family and me, and their unique gifts were greatly appreciated. Whatever that special ingredient you bring to the table, cherish it and be sure to take your place in the mix, or you may be robbing the end goal of the ability to succeed truly.