August 4, 2023 - Receiver

     In one of the recent blogs I shared about how God is teaching me to learn to be a better receiver.  For some folks to be givers then someone must be a receiver. 
     I had no sooner sent that blog to Megan to post than a man showed up at our house.  I knew he was coming to bring us some vegetables from his garden.
     I have shared that God has a way of testing me when I preach about something, or in this case when I write about something, that God is doing in my life.
     What I didn’t know was that bringing the veggies was a “front” for something else this brother was doing. He brought us several gift cards to use when we are in Rochester.  I was more than stunned. 
     In the most gracious way that was within me, I accepted His love gift to me. 
     I have been loved over the years by lots of folks.  I don’t think anyone has loved me more than this man loves me.  The expression of his love goes far beyond any tangible gift.
     As is his love for me, my love for him and his wife is a deep love that comes out of our relationship with the Lord and with them.
     Apparently, there was at least one more part to the test.  Scott our Youth Pastor and Amy asked us to go to dinner with their family this week.  They will be taking Isaiah back to school on Sunday and won’t make our picnic.
     There is no one in this world whom I love more than Scott, Amy, Isaiah, and Benjamin.  Scott has been a Timothy in my life and I would hope that I have been a Paul to him.
     I have had a non-negotiable policy that no one who was younger than I am, on whose life I may have had an impact, would ever pay for a meal at a restaurant.
     I was in a heap of trouble on this one.  How would I be graded by God’s scale on this one?  Would I relent and let Scott and Amy be the giver, which he and Amy had a heart to do?
     I laid awake the night before thinking about it.  God often speaks in the middle of the night.  Most of us have had that experience. 
     Here’s what God impressed on me.  It may be the insight that I have needed. 
     There is a 180-degree difference between being a receiver and a taker.  The world is filled with takers.  Most of us encounter them each day.
     I never want to be a taker nor ever seen as a taker.
     I do, however, want to continue to learn to be a good receiver—from the hand of God and from the hand of God through others.
     Scott and Amy paid for the dinner as they had requested.  Much to my chagrin.  I think I handled it pretty well. 
     Changing us more into the likeness of Jesus usually comes through circumstances that may be uncomfortable. 
      I was about to finish this when the Spirit began to open to me something that I had never considered before.
     We think of Jesus as the Giver.  He gave up heaven to come to earth.  He gave His life at Calvary, shedding His blood that we might have forgiveness of our sins and the hope of heaven.
     Here’s what the Holy Spirit began teaching me.  To be more like Jesus may also mean to be a gracious receiver as He was.  I had never thought about Jesus being on the receiving end.
     When Jesus was thirsty at the well in Samaria, He received a drink from the one we call the woman at the well.   Then He offered her the Living Water.
     Often Jesus ate in the homes of people like Matthew or Zacchaeus. 
     Jesus received a young lad’s lunch and then used it to feed 5000 men, plus the women and children.
     The Gospels tell us that some of the women who followed Him were from families that had resources and these women helped meet His financial needs.   It’s not like He nor the disciples had jobs during His ministry.
     Jesus received the use of some poor folks’ donkey and colt and then rode the colt into Jerusalem.
     The Gospels don’t give us insight into the gratitude on the part of Jesus in most of these circumstances.  The Gospels do give us insight into the thankfulness that Jesus often expressed to the Father. 
     Lord, continue to fashion me into Your likeness.  Oftentimes it is in areas that I can’t see the need in my own life.  Learning to be a gracious receiver has been one of those.