Give or take?

Do you like getting gifts? What about receiving them? I love, love, love to give people gifts. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is gift giving. I honestly have more fun watching people open the gifts I give them, than opening gifts myself, especially when it’s something they weren’t expecting.

This Christmas my husband was the one I was able to surprise in a big way. He had opened all of his gifts, or so he thought, when I started looking around the room as if I was searching for something. I told him he had one more gift and I guess I left it in the closet. We all trail behind him as he makes his way to the closet to see what he would find. Hanging just inside the door was a leather coat he had wanted, but would never buy for himself. His facial expression was priceless and oh, so worth it.

Jesus said,

It is more blessed to give than receive.”

Now if you’ve tried to find that quote in the Gospels, you’ve been a bit frustrated. Many of us have heard it all our lives but get stumped when we pour over Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John without discovering it.  You can find it in Acts 20:35. Paul quoted Jesus there. It was thought to be passed down orally.

Our culture has giving and receiving backwards. It encourages us to look out for number one; put self first. The mentality is,

He who dies with the most toys wins!”

I always say,

He who dies with the most toys still dies.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a luggage rack on top of a hearse.  No matter what we have or have not acquired in material goods, we will all face the Lord one day. We will not have any of the things we’ve received or purchased with us to show Him. What will we have to present? Will we have accomplished anything to earn the words,

Well done good and faithful servant.” [Matthew 25:21]

Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:21,

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

If your heart is for Jesus and His Kingdom, then your treasure will go towards Kingdom work, not things that collect dust. What are you spending your time and money on today? I’ve heard it said that once glance in a person’s checkbook registry and/or appointment calendar will tell you where their heart is.

The artist, Eli,  wrote a song called the Lumber Song. The premise is our actions, deed, and efforts for the Kingdom send lumber to heaven to build our home there. I’ll leave you with it to ponder.

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