Recently Alexis and I have been the recipients of so many gifts from people, many different things, from dinners, furniture, and donations for our trips, to full outfits for Emma, wonderfully framed pictures, and freshly grown vegetables from people’s gardens. We are so thankful, and we would love to give back in someway, but in most cases we just are not able – and sometimes it gets hard to receive when you are not able to give back in return. However we are learning that in God’s kingdom there isn’t a balance in this area. We are told to freely give, so we may freely receieve… sometimes I think our culture twists this and makes us think that means we have to be “fair” in our giving and receiving, making sure that we give back to those that give to us. When really, to give freely means giving without expecting anything back, at all. And to freely receieve means exactly that, to receive and not be under pressure to give something in exchange. For if this is what Jesus wanted we would all be dead.
Still though, it is hard to be in a place where it seems so unbalanced, even harder when it is near strangers giving you things. It’s humbling, and it’s kingdom like. We are so thankful to be in a church family that gets this. We do thank God for all of them every day. Our appreciation can only be expressed in words and time spent with you all.
Thank you.