Have you ever thought about gifts? When receiving a gift from a friend, I’ve responded with “Thank you for your friendship.” For that family member who said, “Thank you for being part of my life”, I’ve replied “Thank you. It’s been a joy for me, too.” However, in the back of my mind, I’ve sometimes thought, “I must get a gift to repay them.”
THE CHALLENGE OF RECEIVING
Then there is the challenge of receiving a gift. What if the color, size, or even the gift itself is wrong? How do we respond? Or what if we received a larger or smaller gift than everyone else in the room? So embarrassing! And then, there’s that infamous payback worry, “What’ll I get them in return?”
THE JOY OF GIVING
As a believer, I discover that true joy is in giving, especially when it’s to someone I love. Ideally, a gift is something we give or offer without expecting payback. We do hope for a smile, or a “thank you,” but there are no strings attached. It can be for Christmas, a birthday, a thank you, or just a surprise. Big or small, whatever the occasion, it’s still a gift and should be a joy to give and receive.
BEHOLDEN TO THE GIVER
Sadly, I sometimes do not realize it, but giving back can tarnish the giver’s joy. Unfortunately, many of us (most or even all?) have a hard time just accepting; we feel beholden to gift back to the giver. One time, as a high school department chairman, I was gifted a group dinner by our principal. Did I just say, “Thank you” and enjoy it? No, I put some money with an anonymous “Thank you” in an envelope in his box. He was not happy and wanted to know the culprit. It just took his joy out of the giving (I never did confess).
A GIFT IS NOT A LOAN
For a long time, I thought I had to repay or earn God for His gifts of amazing grace, unconditional love and eternal life (John 3:16). “Anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much different from a loan, which requires repayment or return by the recipient. The fact that grace is a gift means that nothing is owed in return.” Look at the thief on the cross, to whom Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:40-43). The thief had no way to repay. Or what about the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14) or the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)?
SHARING OUR GIFT
God gave His gift without expecting payback. His perfect gift is exactly the right size, offered equally to all, and can never be repaid. Just embrace His gifts and choose to share them with others. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (I Peter 4:10-11) We can express our “thank-you” to God by serving Him via His own strength. This is not repayment; it’s expressing and living our gifted life. This brings a smile to the face of God.