“Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later.
Divide your gifts among many, for in the days ahead you yourself may need much help.”
Ecclesiastes 11: 1-2
This verse was what I thought of after I was given the help I needed. Although in my head, the verse read, “Bread cast upon water will return to you a thousandfold.” No idea where I heard that, but I like it.
What I needed was help with my website because I am about the least techy person alive. I’d received help from a friend in my writers group in the redesign of the site, but someone would have to do the updates and the maintenance. I realized that someone should or would have to be me. Except I lack the skillset required for such a task.
I can’t believe the amount of time I spent angst-ing over this. The sleep I lost the night before I had an appointment with the designer to teach me how to work with the site. My complete lack of faith in myself (for a very good reason).
As I got ready to leave a thought occurred to me. I have no problem paying my editor to edit my work. Why? Because he has a skillset that I lack. So why would I be so reluctant to pay someone to maintain my website?
A further thought based on something I’d seen recently that said if you want to be a bestselling author you need to act like one. I thought, how many bestselling authors are doing all the maintenance on their websites? Probably not many.
Instead of learning everything I needed to know to DIY it, I asked my friend the designer if she could and would do the updates as needed and she said yes. I said I know I can’t pay you what you’re worth and she said, that’s ok. I wanted to know why it’s ok.
She said, “Well, you run the writers’ group and you don’t get paid for that, and I really enjoy being a part of the group and that’s why I’m ok doing this for you.”
It’s a humbling experience when someone views what you do as generosity and wants to repay you in some way for the effort you make. Apparently, even though I feel I make a minimal effort, what I don’t see is the effect is has on others.
Did I pray about this beforehand? I must have, but I don’t remember doing it. What I remember is lying awake most of the night worrying about it. But like most things we worry about, it didn’t even happen. God, through my friend, already had the answer.
