Just Ask

I visited with one of the Campaign Coordinators this week.

She shared with me something very important. When she started at her company 20+ years ago, as a low-paid hourly employee (she's now a Director), she had to sign all kinds of paperwork. You know the drill: W-4, NC-4, employee application, this paper, that paper, etc. There was one piece of paper that caught her eye - and caught her heart.

The representative from HR was with her and explained, "This is the sheet that allows you to state how much you wish to donate to United Way directly from your payroll." "Oh," she replied, "what is United Way?" When the HR rep explained that the company had a culture of giving back to the community and that by indicating even 1% of her salary to be donated, it will make a difference in strengthening others' lives.

This Campaign Coordinator said at that moment, she realized in her heart that she wanted to give back to the community - this community that had formed her, held her, taught her and guided her into being a young adult. No one had ever asked her before to give back. She felt honored and although her donation was very very small, she took some amount of pride in that.

She told me that all it took was for them to ask. Just ask.

Something so simple - to be asked and to ask.

God, give me strength each day to ask - ask for what gives me life, gives my neighbors life, and brings you glory. Help me to just ask.

So the king and Haman went to dinner with Queen Esther. At this second dinner, while they were drinking wine the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what would you like? Half of my kingdom! Just ask and it's yours."Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O King, and if it please the king, give me my life, and give my people their lives. Book of Esther 7:1-3

What do you need to just ask in this moment?