03/09/2026
How would you classify yourself? Are you primarily a giver, or a receiver? When you offer your morning prayers do you ask the Lord to show where you can be of service to Him, or are your prayers mostly for the personal needs you have? When I asked if you were a giver or receiver I’ll bet you immediately felt that being a giver was good but had an uncomfortable, or perhaps a guilty feeling about being a receiver. The fact is that both are good and the blessing is meant to be experienced in both.
“give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."”
Luke 6:38 ESV
I have some wonderful friends named Chuck and Jocelin Savage, and in texting with them a few years ago I recounted something that happened one Friday night. I want to share my text with you too and here is what I sent...
“Ann and I went out to eat last Friday evening at a cafeteria style meat and three. There was a young 20-something couple who was getting a to-go order in front of us, and when we came to the register the cashier just smiled at us and said "it's free" I kept asking him why until he told me that the couple who just left had paid for our dinner. Ann and I knew exactly what to do and told the cashier to charge us for the couple behind us... who just so happened to be much older than us. Maybe they were on fixed income... I don't know… but I do know that God used that act of kindness in some wonderful way, and I pray he blessed that young couple for listening to His voice.”
I told our friends this to convey that it had been an act of kindness by the young couple in front of us that had prompted us to give, and that I was grateful for the meal and their giving hearts. My friends then texted me back asking whether the elderly couple behind us had passed it on. After thinking back a moment I replied:
“Chuck, I don't know or sure if they passed it on or not, but I kind of think they didn't. My blessing had been in receiving and giving, but perhaps theirs was just in the receiving.”
You see sometimes the blessing is in our giving, and that is good, but many times the blessing is in receiving, and that is not only good, but can be an answer to a prayer.
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24 ESV
Don’t you find it interesting that Jesus’ disciples didn’t want Him to wash their feet? They would wash His in an instant but didn’t want to receive that from Him. They had made foot washing an act of pride and shame... not the gift that Jesus saw in it. Honoring someone’s humility and gift is important. Without doing so we are refusing them a blessing and missing out on our opportunity to say “Amen” and claim that moment jointly with them.
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to do it.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.”
Proverbs 3:27-28 ESV
If I am in prayer this morning and the Lord tells me to give $100 to someone, but I refuse to do that, what would this say about my faith and obedience? I would be disobedient to the will of God. Right? Well, what if someone I knew walked up to me and handed me a hundred-dollar bill and said to me “God told me to give this to you”, and I refused to take it? What would that say about my faith and obedience then? Would you feel different if I told you that I had prayed that morning for $100 to get me through till payday? What if I knew that by giving me the money that it would be a real hardship for the person wanting to give it to me? The answer is, “We should always receive the gift” because we are not to question the will of God; doing that would be implying that we know better than the Lord does. Refusing the gift would place our will and judgement before God’s, and be denying the giver the blessing that the Lord had intended for them… not to mention our blessing of an answered prayer.
In this way, we are meant to humble ourselves in his presence and obey as we receive, so that someone else can get the blessing of their giving. Trust me, you will find a far greater blessing in that act than you ever dreamed possible. As for the person who was stretching themselves to give... leave their reward to God because they are obeying his will for His purposes. Who are we to deny them as they act on God’s behalf and in so doing deny them the crown of life?
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12 ESV
There are times for giving, and others for receiving, and sometimes they join together to form a chain of glorious blessings. Never judge yourself greater for having given and always be prepared to humble yourself in receiving. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of another man’s blessing.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for allowing me to give of myself and my holdings to others, but I thank you more for allowing me to humbly accept the gifts you offer through your servants. Holy Father, open my eyes to my own pride when it surfaces and stands in your way. Teach me that being humble before you is the first step in all blessings I give... and especially in those I receive. Help me to be gracious in accepting from another’s hand just as I was when you offered me the gift of grace through Jesus Christ. Make me the willing instrument in your blessing another by accepting their gift and giving them my love and gratitude in response. Who am I to send away your servant when he brings a gift from your hand? Who am I to deny Him the joy, obedience, and righteousness of giving? You are my God, and whether I wash the feet of your Son Jesus Christ, or allow Him to wash mine... it is your blessing that changes hands in that water, and your will that was obeyed in drying with the towel of submission. Gracious Father, you always take our gifts, and reward them many fold, but no gift can ever begin unless someone receives; both the giving and receiving are your will, and your blessing. Praised be your name always, and gracious are you in your provision, and in using us as your instruments. Glorious are you Father, and Holy is your name! You give and yet you receive our praise.
Rich Forbes