Skip to main content

Receiving Graciously Pt. 2

   Yesterday I started talking about being on the other side of giving-- how to graciously receive. I have broken receiving down into two primary mistakes that we make in doing so. The first of which is taking advantage of those that give, meaning, taking more than appropriate and burdening the giver. We are never supposed to be a burden to others. The second primary mistake people make in receiving is to not receive at all.


    I know many who think they are being "gracious" by not accepting a blessing from someone else. More specifically, when you try to give to someone like Jesus has put on your heart, and they refuse to accept your gift. This is wrong as well. Why would we ever not want to receive a blessing from God? The biggest blockade I see is pride. Pride can become an obstacle to accepting help or gifts from others in your life. To prevent this, we all need to recognize that the design of Jesus' church is that we are interdependent. When we see someone struggling, we do not hesitate in blessing them and helping them as Jesus commanded. And being on the other end of that, it is simply unbiblical to turn away the loving help of another.

Acts 2:42-45 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (NIV)

    When we turn away someone's gift, there are also consequences for them. Not only are we refusing the blessing for ourselves, but we are preventing them of being blessed. The Bible tells us that the giver is blessed more than the receiver. We should accept if only for the one who is giving to us to be blessed. 

Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (ESV)

    Lastly, I must remind you that even Jesus accepted the lavish gifts given to Him while here on earth. Think of the example of the woman who poured expensive perfume excessively all over Jesus. His disciples were upset by this action because of the abundance of the gift. They knew it's value. But Jesus had a different perspective. He graciously accepted the gift from the woman, as He did with many others while here on earth. We should follow His example and do the same.

Matthew 26:6-10 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me." (NIV)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dancing Through the Fire

     For a couple weeks now the Lord has been pressing this message on my heart. He revealed a flaw in my thinking I hadn't noticed. You see, when hard times come it's in my nature to duck and cover. I go into "survival mode" and I get tunnel vision. I only focus on getting through what's in front of me alive. But in doing so, not only do I miss a lot of opportunities, but I give in to the voice of fear in my life.     I know I don't speak only for myself when I say that God wants to us in our "every day lives." Not only at church or on a special mission trip, but in the trenches of the grocery store, the gym, work, etc. It is His will that every soul is saved and He wants us to go out into the world and win those hearts for Him. But when I put myself in survival mode, I block out all the opportunities God lays before me. When I numb myself with the routine of each passing day, week, and month, I miss out on sharing the one thing of eternal importa...
1 comment
Read more

The Path to Life

     Through this most recent season in life, God has been teaching me what it truly means to follow His plans for my life. Over the last year or so,  I have had to make some of the most ''adult" decisions in my life so far. Through that process, I have had to rely heavily on faith and the leading of the Holy Spirit to discern which is the right way to go. It has been a challenge for me, a planner to the core, to put my trust fully in God's plans and leading even when I am unable to see what's ahead and I am glad to say I have come out having learned a few things.      The main takeaway I would like to share is this: the right way is not the easiest way . That probably sounds very obvious if you have spent any time in church, but I never thought about that principle carrying over into walking out God's plans for my life. You see, there have been decisions that I have made over the last year that I was certain were what God was leading me to do. An...
Post a Comment
Read more

How Firm a Foundation

Matthew 7:24-27 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Luke 6:46-49 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against th...
Post a Comment
Read more