Give to Receive

…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

(Acts 20:35, NKJV)

When we visit a place where there are a number of children, it is always interesting to watch how they share what they have for example sweets or toys.  In the happiness of company, one can still tell what is dear to a child, for they will hold on to it closely and even when they have to share it, an internal conversation takes place in their minds whether to share or keep it.  As adults, watching this is at times entertaining and gives us points of conversation as to the characters of the children.  While the adults take the high horse position discussing the children, the truth is that if we are honest with ourselves, we are the same.  Many tend to give out what does not mean much to them, an outfit that they have a duplicate of or one which has does not fit too well.  Sadly in this case, the basis of our giving is that we have no further use of the item and so our giving it away is a way of disposing it.  This I must admit is not always the case, but it is worth reflecting on why we have given out an item.

Beloved, it is human nature to desire to be given, there is always something that someone else has which we would want to have.  However, it is instructive that our Lord Jesus in our reference verse spoke of giving as more blessed than receiving.  We all desire to be blessed of God and the word of God tells us of what is required of us.  It is in this context that giving is presented, as one that leads to more blessings than receiving does.  Reflecting on the verse, it would appear like when we receive whatever we have been given, that item could become the sum total of our benefit, yet when we give, the blessings from God could come to us in different ways and even through generations, not to mention eternity.  Giving does not come easy and yes, we need to think of what we give out.  At the mention of giving, we often think of tangible material things that we can pass on to someone else, but this need not be the only measure of our giving.  At times, what we give are intangible, cannot even be quantified, for example the gift of a smile or presence when someone needs company.  To a large extent, giving non-material things means that we give part of ourselves to the other person, it also means that we are deliberate about the giving.  The price of one’s presence in a time of need is not only impactful but admittedly also expensive to the giver and the recipient will tend to value this more than the material items received. 

Maybe if we gave to others what we ourselves wish to receive, we would both be fulfilled, both the giver and the receiver. The joy of the receiver and the giver meet, creating a bond of love and compassion.  When we give to others, tangible or intangible elements, we refresh each other.  The bible reminds us that he who refreshes others will in turn be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25).  A genuine smile not only speaks to the receiver but the giver also gets lifted in their spirit.  It is important that we acknowledge that by giving, we are being a solution to the other person.  A warm lingering hug for one who is lonely or distressed is a message that they are not alone and that someone else also cares for them.  The word of God gives reference to exceptional returns of giving, that when we give it returns pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).  The measure of the return is many times over what has been given and that is the blessing of a giver.  The return is not from the receiver but from God and so the unexplainable measure of his grace and blessing.  Beloved, we shall never out-give God, may we learn to give His way.

Thoughts:

How do you feel about giving?

What can you give?

What has been your experience of giving to others in need?