Gifts

“Whatever you give is acceptable if you give eagerly.  And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.” 2 Corinthians 8:12 NLT

 

It was Mother’s Day, 2002. Our precious three-year-old daughter carefully carried a beautifully wrapped box with a great pink bow resting just under her chin.  Her eyes  shone bright with excitement.  Her cheeks flushed with anticipation, matching that bright bow.

Just as expected, I oohed and aahed over her gift.  “What a beautiful package,” I exclaimed, “Whatever can it be?”

“It’s candles Mommy,” she explained without a moment’s hesitation as my husband and I chorused in laughter.

How about your gifts?

The gifts wrapped up in the package of you? Do you excitedly present your gifts to God, grateful for them and glad to use them for His glory? Or, are they hidden, covered with a concern, that simply put, they are in no way, shape, or form, enough.

2 Corinthians 8:12 tells us, “Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly.” We need to confidently use those God-given gifts for his glory.  We are to ‘eagerly’ present them.  In other words, actively, breathlessly, enthusiastically, longingly, and zealously. Not grudgingly, listlessly, or unwillingly.

“And give according to what you have, not according to what you don’t,” Obviously, we can’t physically give something we do not have.  We can only give that which we possess.

We can give only what is behind our actions.  Only, if our heart is in it.  Let’s not give out of our self-consciousness, or fear the gift is inadequate.

What we do not have should not consume our thoughts.  What little we have to offer compared to others should not dominate our thinking.

God does not compare our gifts with our neighbor’s.  He simply delights in each one, given each of our hearts is behind it.

Yes, I pray I can enthusiastically carry my gifts to God, just as my young daughter was so ecstatic to present her gift to me.

Like any mother will confirm, any gift from her child is precious when the child’s whole heart is behind it.

And, we are all children of God.  The amount of talent is inconsequential, if your gift is given to God with all your heart.

Reflections:

What are my gifts?

Do I willingly carry them to God? Do I practice using them for His glory?

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for blessing me with specific gifts you wanted to give me.  Please help me to shamelessly use them to glorify You. Amen.

 

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