Here I am growing up just a bit more!
What an amazing chapter from a Bible study, I am working on! I thought I knew how to receive gifts graciously enough until now. The thing is, I did not! Yes, I was taught to say “thank you” when receiving a gift and on special occasions I was told to wait until the end to say my thank yous, but mostly because I always had more gifts than I probably needed and the unwrapping would have been a thank you fest. I was also taught that it was not the gift that counted but the thought that counted. Though all the above is true, there is one more thing missing and that was the one giving the gift counts.
Over the past few years, I have allowed satan to whisper untruths to me and about me when it comes to receiving gifts. Things like: see you’re not worthy to receiving gifts, Yup another occasion went by and what did you receive, they do not care about you, and if they really knew you they would not have to ask what to get you. All of these are lies because it was all about the gift, and not about the giver. Because of these lies, I have found them spilling over into other areas of receiving. The area of receiving words of acknowledgement, encouragement, accomplishments and of service.
God gifts each of us in unique ways. These gifts when used, serve His purpose and when used to glorify Him, He is going to send someone into your life to bless you with a gift, whether it be with words, or an actual gift. The proper response from us is to receive these gifts graciously.
Two Points I had to Ponder
First, Giving equals necessary receiving. In other words, we need to be prepared that we are going to receive gifts from others. The last two chapters were on giving and receiving gifts, both physical and spiritual. The author used a verse from Luke for this point that we are going to be a receiving.
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure. pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38 NKJV”
First we are told to give, that is not just in physical gifts but also in giving of our spiritual gifts. Because we give, YUP, we are going to receive. I never thought of this before because you see when I use my spiritual gifts, I do so because I love God and want to honor Him. Not because I want to be given anything other than to hear Him say “very good faithful servant”, when I get to heaven. But here I am realizing how ungraciously, I have received gifts of words from others. I have always felt awkward in receiving words of “praise” because I did as I was gifted, or not allowed their gratitude from appearing on my Facebook wall because I thought it was a “look at what I have done” appearance. However, all of this comes down to the point that I am thinking about me, and not the giver.
Second, When I receive graciously, I am being taught humility.
“Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34 NKJV”
How humble am I, if I can not or will not accept a gift graciously?!?! If I am not humble, how am I going to hear God? The author used one ladies reflection that I want to keep in the back of my mind always.
“When we reject people’s gifts of time, resources, hugs, and other treasures, we block the method that God uses to speak to us, heal us, invite us, revive us, and rewire us to send us out for more effective ministry. – Wendy”