What wonderful gifts within are you waiting to redeem?

297,000.

That’s the number of unredeemed points my wife discovered on her father’s credit card about a month before Christmas.

It’s a lot. So many that she was able to persuade her dad to redeem them for three Apple watches. He purchased one for each grandson, ages 27, 24 and 17. What joy on Christmas morning!

Oh! He had enough left over to buy a Garmin watch for himself!

My father-in-law ignored his points. For years, they just sat there, waiting to be redeemed. Yet a daughter’s nudge, a willing grandfather and a few key strokes produced a memorable Christmas!

I wondered: What “points” — gifts, talents, abilities — are sitting unredeemed in our lives, waiting for us to see them or someone else to nudge us, “Cash these in for your spiritual development and God’s work?”

Like my wife and her dad, it sometimes takes someone else to move us to recognize our gifts. Last fall, I suggested to a church that they launch a daily Advent devotion. I proposed it be written by its members and shared with the church through a daily email.

They had never done anything like this. I had, in multiple churches. Offering to organize and edit it, I knew from teaching a Lenten study at this church that their members had marvelous spiritual insights. While a few people were not sure how it would work and others knew it would stretch them beyond their comfort zone, they were willing to give it a try. It was successful enough that the pastor asked me on Christmas Eve morning — in front of a full church!— if we would do it again. Of course! To God be the glory!

What nudge do YOU need — from God or someone else — to redeem the unredeemed part of your life? What help do you need to see and share the divine value intrinsic to your life?

Christians are now halfway through Lent, a season that challenges us to be our best selves and abandon attitudes and actions that are not. This season is also a time to embrace and deploy the good in us. We not only “give up” something for Lent, we “take on” something: becoming people of value positioned for purpose.

Still wondering? The 19th-century British writer G.K. Chesterton put it succinctly: “The essence of Christianity is that if you do not like the life you have, you can have another.” Whether you are from my faith tradition, another, or none, what is the yearning in your heart for a second chance? Redemption, conversion, “being saved:” call it what you will, it is a fresh start, a “do over,” the chance to live our best life. From a faith perspective, it is living as God intends.

The good news is that wonderful gifts are within you, waiting to be redeemed. Keep an open mind and heart as you seek ways to experience and share the redeeming power of God.

The Rev. Dr. Brian R. Bodt is a United Methodist clergyman living in Woodbridge, worshipping at both Cheshire United Methodist Church and Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, Fairfield, where he serves as Pastor of Community Care.

Bodt