Gracious Recipients

Have you ever been given a gift that was larger, more extravagant, more fulfilling, than you ever imagined? Something commonly happens when gifts like this are given and received. There is an odd kind of resistance that bubbles up in some of us when we’re on the receiving end. We feel unworthy, we try to undercut the generosity of the giver, we try to defend our ability to provide for ourselves. These are all lies.

Who are we to call ourselves unworthy? The giver of the gift decides this.

Who are we to undercut the generosity with which someone else gives? The giver gets to decide how generous they would like to be.

Who are we to say that we provide for ourselves? In fact, every provision that we receive is, at it’s core, a gift from a giver. There is nothing we can do to receive more or less of the breath of life, the ultimate gift. This is not an easy statement to receive.

No, in order to receive such gifts of extravagance and fulfillment, we must count ourselves worthy, be thankful for the spirit of generosity that the giver has, and acknowledge the fact that all provision is fundamentally a gift.

And even if the gifts don’t actually come, wouldn’t this be a good disposition to be in? We would be confident in our inherent value, have a thankful heart, and have a rightful frame for where provision actually comes from. We would be gracious.