Give and Take
One of my bosses is a funny guy who is always quick to respond to a thank you with these words: "Now Amy, it is my pleasure. You know I'm a giver, not a taker." That always makes me smile and think of the fact that our Father is the same way - even more so because He doesn't just say that in jest. He means it because He truly IS a giver and not a taker, a rewarder and not a withholder. Hebrews 11:6 says: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. I believe in His existence and I believe He rewards me as I seek Him with all my heart. And I know of His giving and rewarding nature toward me. But what does this mean to me as He lives out His life as a giver through me toward others?
If I live as a giver, am I letting others choose first, letting them have their way, letting them pick their favorite, letting them step in front of me in line, letting them have the last cookie? Is that really what it looks like to be a giver and not a taker? Or is that just withholding from forcing my own way? I have given up my rights and it is a picture of humility and kindness, whether genuine or not. But when I defer I tend to keep some records in the back of my mind in expectation of the day when I will want someone to defer to me and my desires. Or if I live as a giver am I giving what I have to others and telling them they don't owe me anything in return? I love to give things to others and see the smile it brings them. But I know that sometimes I give selfishly - to control a situation or a person or thinking that if I give to them they will give back to me at some point in the future. That is the give and take of humanity, isn't it?
But Father's giving is lavish and extravagant and sacrificial. He not only lets us have our own way, deferring to our choices, but He gives of all He has and of all He is even when we choose selfishly. He is such a giver that He gave His only Son so that we could have eternal life in Him. And His desire - His expectation - of us is that we receive His gift of life. He tells us to be takers. And when we take this gift from Him, He rewards us with more revelation of all He has and of all He is even when we continue to choose selfishly. He told Abram in Genesis 15:1 Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. He has said the same to us - His Son was called Immanuel, God with us, so the gift of Himself by His Son is our reward, now and for all eternity if we have chosen to receive the gift.
Is it possible for us to give and never keep score? Is it possible to spend our lives rewarding and never expecting anything in return? No - not for us as flesh. But when we understand and know that our reward is in Him and He is in us and will live as the Great Rewarder through us, He begins to lavish extravagantly and sacrificially on others. And what does He lavish so extravagantly? His love. His living out His giving and rewarding nature through our lives is not about the acts and deeds we can do and the gifts we can give. It is about His love that brings life to all who will receive it as their great reward. If we will rest in Him as our reward, then we will expect nothing and we will not keep score with others. And we will not be concerned with the doing and the giving - or the return or the taking - but we will watch with joy and amazement as He freely loves the people He brings into our lives. Giving and not taking in the midst of His love will be the natural outflow of the Christ in us - our very great reward.
Taking... and watching Him give,
Amy
Ephesians 1:3-6: How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. (The Message)
If I live as a giver, am I letting others choose first, letting them have their way, letting them pick their favorite, letting them step in front of me in line, letting them have the last cookie? Is that really what it looks like to be a giver and not a taker? Or is that just withholding from forcing my own way? I have given up my rights and it is a picture of humility and kindness, whether genuine or not. But when I defer I tend to keep some records in the back of my mind in expectation of the day when I will want someone to defer to me and my desires. Or if I live as a giver am I giving what I have to others and telling them they don't owe me anything in return? I love to give things to others and see the smile it brings them. But I know that sometimes I give selfishly - to control a situation or a person or thinking that if I give to them they will give back to me at some point in the future. That is the give and take of humanity, isn't it?
But Father's giving is lavish and extravagant and sacrificial. He not only lets us have our own way, deferring to our choices, but He gives of all He has and of all He is even when we choose selfishly. He is such a giver that He gave His only Son so that we could have eternal life in Him. And His desire - His expectation - of us is that we receive His gift of life. He tells us to be takers. And when we take this gift from Him, He rewards us with more revelation of all He has and of all He is even when we continue to choose selfishly. He told Abram in Genesis 15:1 Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. He has said the same to us - His Son was called Immanuel, God with us, so the gift of Himself by His Son is our reward, now and for all eternity if we have chosen to receive the gift.
Is it possible for us to give and never keep score? Is it possible to spend our lives rewarding and never expecting anything in return? No - not for us as flesh. But when we understand and know that our reward is in Him and He is in us and will live as the Great Rewarder through us, He begins to lavish extravagantly and sacrificially on others. And what does He lavish so extravagantly? His love. His living out His giving and rewarding nature through our lives is not about the acts and deeds we can do and the gifts we can give. It is about His love that brings life to all who will receive it as their great reward. If we will rest in Him as our reward, then we will expect nothing and we will not keep score with others. And we will not be concerned with the doing and the giving - or the return or the taking - but we will watch with joy and amazement as He freely loves the people He brings into our lives. Giving and not taking in the midst of His love will be the natural outflow of the Christ in us - our very great reward.
Taking... and watching Him give,
Amy
Ephesians 1:3-6: How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. (The Message)
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