When You Give a Gift (Jim Martin)
We're interrupting our regularly scheduled programming this week, taking a break before the finale of our "What Is the Gospel" series. I thought this snippet of thought from Jim Martin was appropriate for this season where many of us will exchange gifts. After reading it, I invite you to meditate on such profound passages as Acts 20:35 and 2 Corinthians 8:9. Happy holidays! -Daniel
It can be such a blessing to either give or receive a gift.
However, sometimes giving is poisoned by expectation. This is the silent but life-draining moment that turns giving a gift into a transaction.
Perhaps you’ve seen this. Someone gives a gift complete with the invisible strings of an unspoken expectation of a specific reaction from the recipient.
A friend purchases a decorative gift and then says, “I thought this would be perfect in your hallway.” A month later, they are miffed that you did not place this gift in your hallway.
Someone has discovered just the Christmas gift you need. Then they are disappointed that you did not seem to respond with the appropriate joy.
Another friend buys a gift and then carefully watches the facial expression of the person opening the gift. If the facial expression is not the one they desired, they immediately say, “You don’t like it do you?”
What if you were to give a gift without an expected response tied to the gift? What if you and I were to simply give the gift - a pure expression of thoughtfulness! What if we were to give gifts that were free from expectation and judgment?
After all, God regularly gives gifts and receives little or no response from people just like ourselves.
What if you and I were to give a gift, simply to express our thoughtfulness?