Blessed Givers, Gracious Receivers

Blessed Givers, Gracious Receivers

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” –Acts 20:35

After Hope was born, as my first-rate friends circled around us and began making meals, washing clothes, even putting up our Christmas tree, I was very aware of all that people were doing for us. I began to wonder how I was ever going to pay everyone back. For a while, at least, I held on to the folly that I would one day return the favors. But I quickly figured out I would never be able to repay all that people were doing for me and for my family. I was bankrupt to repay them. I had to surrender to receiving from others. And for us list-keepers and fairness-watchers, that’s not easy. It is much more comfortable for someone to owe us a favor than to be in another person’s debt. It is humbling to receive—to really receive with grace, with no thought of trying to pay back.

But as it began to dawn on me that nobody wanted me to pay them back, I began to learn to receive gracefully. Nobody was keeping score. They wanted the joy and delight—the blessedness—of giving to me. I began to see that people wanted to find some way to help us in our helpless situation, and that when they did, they experienced the blessing of giving. I came to truly believe that it is more blessed to give than to receive—that all the people who did my laundry and made my family a meal, those who helped with Hope or gave Matt rides, were blessed by it. They were blessed by doing for us, giving to us. What a freedom there is in becoming comfortable receiving and therefore allowing others the blessedness of giving.

By the time Gabe came to us I was free. When people expressed a desire to do something for us, I looked for something for them to do rather than dismissing their offers, because I wanted them to experience the blessing of giving. Have you learned yet how to receive from others who want to reach out and serve you or give to you? Will you humble yourself and receive graciously?

Great Giver, I have so much to learn about what it means both to give sacrificially and receive graciously. Thank you for blessing the people who have reached out and served me. Help me not to rob them of that blessing by refusing to humble myself and receive.

DIGGING DEEPER