“What God can do through a person who's willing to act is limitless.”

A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus. Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment (Kindle Locations 436-437). Kindle Edition.

The last couple of days have been interesting.  As I was getting ready to write down my thoughts I heard a commotion and looked up and a young guy was running out of the Starbucks with my iPhone.  That kind of stopped what I was doing but I’m back.  What I was doing when I was so rudely interrupted was reading about a young guy that this thought Erwin McManus made me think about.  His name is Blake Mycoskie who is the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS.

Do you know the story of TOMS?  Do you have a pair of TOMS?  I am wearing mine right now.  “While traveling in Argentina in 2006, Blake witnessed the hardships faced by children growing up without shoes. His solution to the problem was simple, yet revolutionary: to create a for-profit business that was sustainable and not reliant on donations. Blake’s vision soon turned into the simple business idea that provided the powerful foundation for TOMS.”  

“Over the course of its first five years, TOMS was successful enough in providing shoes for children in need” and he is now providing eyewear for those in need.  When someone buys a pair of TOMS shoes another pair of shoes is given to a needy child in the world.  The same is true now of eyewear.  It is unbelievable what God is doing through Blake.

We were at Mosaic Hollywood this past Sunday and Erwin McManus was speaking on Generosity.  He was at the end and he was telling the story of Blake who has been a part of Mosaic and then Erwin made a challenge to all of us in the 11:30 am Gathering.  He had also done the same thing to the 10:00 am and then the 5:00 pm and the 8:30 pm Gatherings.  He asked us to take our shoes off and walk down to the front and give them away.  I had new shoes that I had only worn two times and Margaret and Brett and Marissa had new TOMS on and we all, along with Sam a friend of ours walked down to the front along with hundreds of other people with our shoes to give them away.  What an awesome experience to walk out of there to our cars barefoot. 

God wants to do so much through us.  It was so great to see my family get up without any hesitancy and take their shoes to give to those who are in need. 

Now I didn’t know that I was going to be giving my iPhone to a probable drug dealer who would use it and then throw it away.  That is the other side of people, those who are greedy and who take with no consideration of others.  We also see that every day.  But that is not God’s way.  He can do so much through people who are willing to do whatever He asks.

What kind of person are you, a giver or a taker?