Resourcefulness

We are so blessed to have Leah Bruno as a contributing author for Pebble Crossing. Leah, now 14 is currently being homeschooled. She has many ambitions as she continues to strive to please Yahweh and walk in His path. One of her strong qualities is in servtitude and she has a heart to please. Leah hopes to continue to persue her love for writing and with time to be able to publish one of her stories. She loves to spend time with her family. But being around horses ranks way up there also.  Please welcome Leah as she contributes her first article.  


Update: August 18, 2010.  Leah currently blogs and shares her passion for writing, please visit her at BEHIND THE TEMPLE DOOR BLOG


Resourcefulness ~~ When did you last notice the city recycling truck driving around the neighborhood and think, “My, how resourceful!”? People displaying resourcefulness do much more than recycle plastic bottles. They solve problems in creative and often surprising ways. In the words of a dictionary, resourcefulness means this: “Full of initiative and good at problem-solving, especially in difficult situations.” It also means to find and gather that which YAHWEH has given.


Numerous times, resourceful people shock others with novel and inspiring solutions to lingering road blocks. This character trait can set an otherwise ordinary person into a position of leadership and power. However, using it proves much more beneficial than that: it shows YAHWEH that you value all He has given you and desire to use it fully, especially by passing preventative problems at His will.

Resourcefulness likens to creativity and inventiveness. After all, solutions to problems do not simply appear; someone creates them. In fact, most inventors base their creations on widely felt inefficiencies. Thus, creativity, inventiveness, and resourcefulness all play roles in problem solving. Last summer, I planned to decorate a simple wooden dollhouse. My parsimony attempted to stand in the way, but out came the craft box and on turned the sewing machine. What resulted? New upholstery for the couches and master bed, a tablecloth, and many more things now furnish the miniature house. Therefore, even a dollhouse contains opportunities for using resourcefulness. If I would have rushed to the store at first whim, I would have less money, and would not have the same appreciation of the production time which makes and object physically valuable. So, while creativity helps things to flourish, an unimaginative character stumps and obstructs the path of success. YAHWEH has created us to work and our minds to think. When we refuse to use ourselves to that high potential, we give up and sit against the stump instead of going around it, convincing others of the so called ‘dead’ end.

During financial hardships, many families learn resourcefulness as a way of life. Lack of money seems to force them to use it to solve lack of materials. Many people notice resourcefulness in others quite easily, as it often requires physical efforts such as working for someone, sewing a gift, or even baking pie crust. If the person uses what many will call a ‘makeshift’ article or appliance, they are probably demonstrating resourcefulness. They might not have the object as a whole, but have used their creative attitude to put together a replacement. Sadly, society often shuns these substitutes, dubbing them hodgepodge and inefficient. On the contrary, many of these ‘makeshift’ articles can not only save lives, but also bring enjoyment that would otherwise not exist. In giving a gift by the use of resourcefulness, people can inspire others who may undergo financial difficulties to follow the trait by bringing the fruit of their creativity to the eyes of another. To look at a problem with resourceful eyes, one, first of all, should not look at it as a problem, but a challenge, which one can overcome. Second, one should try to think of entirely new ways to complete this challenge, aside from variants of the old ones.

Numerous people act as if they can bring anything good in life to themselves through money. They use it to buy many things that they need and want. However, certain others who do not have the privilege of much money may surpass those who do by a long shot. Why? Their resourcefulness helps them to overcome their problems through work and creativity, teaching them discipline, responsibility, and respect for property. Often, rich folks do not obtain that through money at their fingertips, because they need not work hard to attain things. Many of them do, however, use their money or resources in ways that can be termed as wasting, because, using more resourcefulness and less resources, equal or better results can be obtained. Once, a long time ago, I decided to cover a plastic container with fabric and give it to my father as a flower pot for his office. After watching me heap on lengths of tape to force the fabric to stay, my mother, Mamie, said not to waste tape, and helped me use glue for a much nicer finish. Had Mamie not interfered with her resourceful attitude, this ‘lengthy’ project would have turned out a wasteful mess, and my sense of the value of physical goods would not grow well.

Therefore, resourcefulness shows itself through people who creatively solve problems, as well as look for YAHWEH’s blessings. It draws from and creates other character traits, such as responsibility for managing resources, gratefulness to YAHWEH for resources, and creativity to use those resources wisely. People with this quality examine things through productive eyes. Anyone, especially those in physical or financial distress, can and should use it, just as leaders in history all over the world have. Even birds demonstrate resourcefulness. Yeshua did tell us that Our Father provides for them; however, using resourcefulness, they scour the ground or trees to find His gifts. As a great physical, mental, and spiritual characteristic, may everyone put resourcefulness into their tool box. ~LeahB