The Farmers Field: Using our gifts to give back
By: Ron Rabou
Winter has finally made its presence known, and it always provides me an opportunity to slow down just enough to pay a bit closer attention to some things I am surrounded by every day but in the hustle and bustle, seem to not give much thought.
Maybe it’s my age too. It seems the older I get, the more important some things become and the less important others are.
Generally speaking, what has struck me most recently is the generosity of the human spirit. It’s one of the things I have always admired about our community.
In the past, as I would quiz people I knew who had chosen to live here, my question was always, “Why?”
Certainly, I thought, there are places to live with a better climate or whose environmental beauty alone would be significantly more attractive. But over the years, I’ve come to notice the answer to this question remains consistent.
“It’s because of the people. I love the people here,” people usually reply.
On the surface this might seem cliché or even a bit unfounded, but as you get to know the people in our community, it’s absolutely true.
My first real experience with this sentiment was the 16 years I spent on the Laramie County Community College Foundation Board. At the time, I was a newly-wed 28-year-old who hadn’t had much personal or financial success in my life nor did I know many people outside of my personal circle.
Yet, this group of incredibly successful and bright leaders, without prejudice or preconceived notions, asked me to be part of this great organization.
Not knowing what to expect, I suddenly found myself surrounded by people who were genuine with their intentions, purposeful with their actions and kind in their treatment of and respect for others. It made a huge impact on my life. Their influence encouraged me to push the boundaries of my self-imposed limitations.
Here I was – a “nobody” really. I had no major accomplishments or successes in my adult life to this point. Here they were – some were highly educated, all were successful financially and most were influential business leaders in our community. But while they were all of this and more, what impacted me most was their deep, genuine love for service.
As the past 25 years have flown by since that time, what I have learned is good-hearted people do good things, and they do it for the right reasons. They have no need to flaunt what they have or what they do because they are secure with who they are.
I also learned, more importantly, those are the kinds of people who we should surround ourselves with. These people understand the value of doing good, not because it gives them notoriety, it puts them on a pedestal or they can build shrines where they can selfishly say to the world, “Look at me. I’m generous. I did this.”
Rather, they understand doing good, acting with respect, humility and integrity and unselfishly giving their time and resources literally creates more of the same thing.
As Author Napoleon Hill describes, it’s the age-old principle of the “Law of Compensation.” In other words, what you give out will come back at least 100-fold.
As perhaps their number one rule, truly generous people understand money is a tool which should be used to bless others and should never be used to manipulate or apply pressure on others for any reason. These are the real difference makers in the world.
Since those early days, I have had the privilege to be surrounded by incredible people and to play a small role in many organizations which are making a positive difference in the lives of others – and I don’t use the word “privilege” lightly.
It always has been and will continue to be a sincere privilege to be trusted by others to do the right things for the right reasons.
To realize we can each take our God-given talents and abilities, give unselfishly of our time and money, work interactively and creatively with others and know because of it, the world is a little bit better because we are in it, is indeed a tremendous privilege.
We live in a world where there are countless opportunities to immerse ourselves in the world of giving. There are literally thousands of organizations whose mission is to love, care for and help others.
Organizations like the Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club International, Boys and Girls Club, churches, Make-A-Wish America and Magic City Enterprises are just a very small list of so many.
Private foundations like the Purple and Gold Legacy Foundation in the small community of Pine Bluffs, whose mission of supporting youth has given nearly a quarter million dollars in its first three years of existence, and apart from organizations and foundations, there’s the generosity we can all individually choose to exert to others.
In closing, let’s all be mindful of Romans 12: 6-8.
It reads, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
When we give for the right reasons, the world becomes a better place. It is up to us.
What is your gift that can help to exert the generosity of the human spirit and how will you choose to use it?
