A young man had been dating a girl for quite some time. One night he carried her out to a beautiful romantic setting. The moon was full. He looked at her and said, “Honey, if I had a thousand arms they would all embrace you. If I had a thousand eyes, they would all look deeply into your eyes. If I had a thousand lips, they would all kiss you. If I…” At that point she interrupted him and said, “Quit complaining about what you don’t have and use what you do have!”

One of the deterrents to successful living is always wishing that our circumstances were different. We think we might do our work better if we had a nicer office, better support staff, better technology, etc. The most successful people are those who take what they have and use it. Complaining about what we don’t have is nonproductive. Using what we do have produces positive results.

Jesus utilized this principle in His first miracle at a wedding in Cana, which is in Galilee. Read John 2:1-12. Someone failed to plan well, so at the reception the host ran out of wine. People started complaining about the fact they didn’t have any wine.

Jesus reacted differently. Instead of complaining about what they didn’t have, He simply asked what they did have. The answer was six stone pots and some water. Jesus took the water, turned it into wine, and served it in the pots. He used what he had.

Now the results were astounding. He did not just change the water to an acceptable wine – it was the best wine! Some of the people came to the host and said that this was unusual because generally you served the best wine first when people would really enjoy it. You would normally serve the inferior wine later when people had finished a few drinks. Isn’t that just like Jesus – taking what He had and making it into the best!

Use what you have.

Regina Mayer is a 15-year-old girl who lives in Germany. Her father is a small time farmer. She wanted a horse. Her father couldn’t afford a horse, but told her that he would let her have one of his cows.

Regina didn’t get what she wanted, and didn’t complain about what she didn’t have, but took what she got and started training the cow. It was a 2-year-old heifer named Luna. She first put a blanket on her back and started riding her like a horse. She taught him commands like “giddy-up” and “whoa.” She has taught the cow to execute jumps like a horse.

People who observe this situation comment “the cow thinks she is a horse.” A 15-year-old didn’t spend her time bemoaning the fact that she didn’t have a horse. She just took what she had and is probably enjoying the cow more than she would have enjoyed a horse.

What has God given you today? Spend your time and energy using it productively. He always supplies everything we need to accomplish whatever task He gives us.

God might help you teach your “cow” to jump over the moon!!