James 1:16-18
Don’t be fooled, my dear friends. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you have ever gone to a garage sale and discovered an item on the table that you gave a friend or family member, you know the sinking feeling that comes with this discovery – especially if the item has clearly never been used. Did the recipient not like your gift? Did you insult him/her? Was there something wrong with it? Worse yet… have you ever been holding your own sale and someone arrived who had given YOU a gift… and now that item was clearly in sight on the table and available for purchase? Even if the gift was something you could not use, didn’t like, or simply didn’t work for you in some manner, the feeling of embarrassment can weigh heavily.
I try to give “good gifts”…to select items that I believe the recipient will enjoy or really wants or needs. But I also have tried to develop a spirit of giving that goes like this… once I present another person with a gift, it is theirs to do with as they please. They can use it, love it, wear it, sell it, give it away… or throw it in the trash if they want. Once a gift leaves my hands, I no longer control it. The recipient is free to use the item as he/she pleases.
I will be the first to admit, if I give someone a gift and they tear it up or discard it right away, I’m a little disappointed. I am quite delighted when I give a friend or family member something and then see it proudly displayed, worn or utilized. I want to offer others gifts that will please them or enhance their life in some way. But I must be prepared to let go of these bequests and trust the receiver’s use of them.
God is such a wonderful giver. He picks out the very best gifts for each of us. Out of His incredible wisdom and care for us, He grants unsurpassed blessings upon our lives… He selects perfectly and bestows generously. He also gives unconditionally. Certainly, God is disappointed when we do not appreciate the things He gives us. I imagine He is heartbroken when we don’t even bother to take them out of the box, so to speak – as in talents and abilities we never cultivate. But He blesses us anyhow and gives us the freedom to do as we please with His endowments.
When God comes to the “garage sale” that is your life, do you really want Him to see the gifts He has given you on the table, discounted deeply, and perhaps “new in the box”? Do you want God to find His offerings discarded in the trash can? We’re not talking a trinket you were given just because someone felt obligated to offer you something. We’re talking hand-selected presents from GOD! Remember, God doesn’t make junk… and He doesn’t give it to His children, either!
How are you treating God’s gifts today? Are you recognizing that what He gives you is perfect and uniquely designed just for YOU? Are you showing respect for His ultimate gift - His only Son, Jesus Christ - and the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood on the cross for your sins? When was the last time you thanked God…REALLY thanked Him… for being such a generous, loving Father? Isn’t this the perfect time to do exactly that?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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