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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

gifts

confession time: i'm practically mute in one of the five love-languages.

i am a miserable gift-giver.  not miserable like it makes me unhappy, but miserable in the suitability of the gift for the recipient.  i never know what to give, what will express love/joy/friendship/congratulations-on-your-retirement.  i'm sure if we polled my facebook friends, everyone who has ever received a gift from me would snort in agreement.  
world's lamest gift-giver?  present.

but.  my heavenly Father speaks love in all the languages of the world.
so this week i'm studying about gifts.  i don't know if it will turn me into a better gift giver, though - don't hold your breath ;).

God blesses His people with gifts.  abundantly, all day long, in every way.
but i'm thinking right now specifically of Spiritual gifts - gifts of the Holy Spirit.  (check out 1 corinthians 12-14, or 1 peter 4)

He gives us spiritual gifts for the common good (1 cor 12:7, my paraphrase).

and i've been noticing:
what's interesting about gifts is
they stop being gifts once they're given.
they become possessions.
so ...
gifts are only ever gifts in transit.

the point of a spiritual gift (as opposed to a spiritual possession), is the common good - it's meant to be passed along.  continually given.  a perpetual gift, poured out and poured out and poured out like a jug of oil that never runs dry.  

why is it important to God for us to be givers?  why does He specifically give us gifts that are not our possessions, but meant to be given?

what do we call people who don't want to give?  selfish. selfish.
i don't think it's a stretch to say that the opposite is Godish.

we were made to bear the image of God, the Great Pourer-Forth.  in giving, we display His character - and anything that does that glorifies Him :).

except, maybe, the lame excuse for a present i got you last year.
i'm truly sorry : /

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Janelle! You give gifts that are so precious! You give of yourself, you give sweetness, kind words, understanding, appreciation, not to mention your wonderful gifts of friendship, hospitality and delicious food. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are a gift to your family and friends!!

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  2. you're amazing and i love you
    keep on writing, dude!

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  3. I love that!...gifts are only gifts while they are being given. So true. And what a responsibility for our spiritual gifts. Keep 'em moving....

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