As the end of the first day of the New Year rolls in and the Christmas season draws to close, our thoughts start to dream of summer holidays. In a couple of days, the tree and decorations will come down and presents put away into their rightful places.

For most the great season of giving is put on hold for another year, well for at least another 11 months before it starts all over again.

Here’s the point in all of this, when people get a gift they respond in 2 ways:

1.the gift is so valuable, they dare not risk taking it out of the box, play with it, wear it or use it, as it may get worn out or God forbid broken, so it is kept in hiding on a shelf out of harms way. Taking it out is always going to be a risk…..

2.the gift is so valuable it has to be risked. If it left in the box they fear it will not be used, they know that the gift unopened will take away from the gift and from the person who gave it….

Which one of the two categories do you fall into? After all we have all been given a gift by God. The question you got to ask of yourself is , How do I respond? Am I in category 1 or category 2?

Do you risk brokenness or failure?

Do you prefer safety over growth?

Do you seek an opportunity rather than a guarantee?

While David was a shepherd boy, he saw an opportunity and used his gift and went on to become a great King. When Peter was on the boat he didn’t ask for a guarantee just the opportunity to walk on water.

In 2011 look for the opportunity and begin the ultimate adventure of faith. Remember that failure does not shape you, it is how you respond to failure that shapes you

Happy New Year