Last week some folks from our church and I were on the Flathead Reservation in Pablo Montana. We were there on a work and witness trip.  We helped the church in Pablo with some painting projects and assisted with their Vacation Bible School for the children on the reservation.  It was a fun week!

While I was visiting with some of the locals, I learned about several great resources the tribe offers to its members, such as free dental, free healthcare, free college, and a cash payout when tribal members when they turn 18. I was amazed at all these great benefits and thought how fortunate tribal members are to have them, because it really sets them up for a potentially healthy and prosperous start in life; if they choose to take advantage of those resources.

However, during our week on the reservation, we saw more poverty, ill health, and dental issues than I have seen in any other community. It was such a paradox that a community with an abundance of resources would be suffering the effects that those resources would alleviate.  I was frustrated that more people weren’t taking advantage of them.

In light of that experience, I can’t help wonder how many of us aren’t taking advantage of the resources we have available to us. While we may not all have free dental, healthcare or a generous windfall, we are surrounded by numerous and equally valuable resources just waiting to be utilized.  Perhaps it’s a person we know with some knowledge we’d like to have, who would gladly share it with is if we only ask.  Maybe it’s a healthier diet that we only have to choose over the less-healthy one we’ve been selecting.  There are good resources all around us just waiting for us to avail ourselves to them.

Be on the lookout for the resources and opportunities that we’ve previously been overlooking, and decide to take advantage of them. Who knows; they could potentially change the trajectory of your life for the better.