Use Up Your Life

I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a wonderful story about little Tyler.

Yep, his name is Tyler Law, and I will never forget when, at the age of nine, this little guy had to go to the hospital for surgery. Cancer had eaten deep into his arm, and he was facing a serious surgery. The morning of his scheduled operation when the hospital aids pushed a gurney into his room, Tyler perked up. He looked at his mom and dad sitting by his hospital bed, and he asked if he could say something before they took him to surgery. His mom and dad smiled, nodded, and so Tyler turned to the orderly who had come to get him, and Tyler asked, “Can I please walk?” The orderlies looked at each other and shrugged. “Sure, kid,” they said, and so Tyler hopped off his bed and strode down the hallway in front of the gurney that was to take him in to surgery for his cancerous arm. The two orderlies fell in behind the brave little patient who, by this time, was way out in front of them and his parents. The four of them smiled as Tyler marched ten paces in front of everybody. The whole time he was raising his bad arm in the air and pumping his biceps in and out. All the way down the hallway, there’s Tyler smiling and pumping his arm. When they arrived at the prep room, his dad asked, “So what’s with the arm-pumping thing?” And Tyler answered, “Oh, dad, you know, I just wanted to get as much use out of my arm as I could, in case they have to cut it off.” 

That’s a true story. And yes, it brings a smile, but it also carries an important lesson. An important lesson for us all. Because Tyler lived on the brink of losing his arm, and yet he took every opportunity to use it for that which it was intended: movement. Muscles tightening, tendons flexing, joints stretching, neurons firing. Not a second of enjoying that arm was going to be lost while Tyler still had the chance.

Tyler’s words also reveal more than just his bravery. They strike a chord of truth about our lives. The truth is: just use your life. Use it. Use it up. Use it well, and use it for the kingdom and for his glory. And do it now. Because I fear that in our modern Christian world, where we are so quick to avoid burnout, we have not used our lives as God intended. Paul admonishes us to take advantage of the opportunities afforded us to do good. And our lives have so much potential for doing that. But we take for granted our time, our talents, energy. And we assume that, I don’t know, they must be saved for some great purpose in the future, later on. Oh, friend, God’s purpose is now, not later.

God has saved us to save others. To serve others. God has rescued us so we might be agents of his rescue for other people who are lost. God did not deliver you so that you could sit on your blessings and enjoy all of it for yourself, being the apple of God’s eye. Uh-uh, no. Jesus is heaven-bent on you using your life, your gifts and talents, your time and treasure – using it for others now.

Tyler made it through that operation. The whole ordeal made him a whole lot more grateful for his arm, even though he lost some use of it. But please know that although his arm isn’t quite as strong or flexible, Tyler is still using it. And no wonder God marveled, saying that out of the mouths of babes like Tyler come such amazing lessons. So, friend, remember that the opportunities to use our lives for that which they are intended – that is loving God and loving others – are right now. Find those opportunities today. Use your life. Use it up. Use it well! Flex your spiritual muscles, all for the glory of God and the benefit of others. 

© Joni and Friends