Many of us want to give to the people we love and the causes we believe in. But fear sometimes stops us. We’re afraid that if we give, we might not have enough left for ourselves. So instead of sowing, we keep hold of our seed and miss the harvest God promised us. Why? Because on some deeper level we can wonder if God would actually bless someone like us. Jesus said, ‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.’ And God has never broken a promise. When we open our hand to God, He opens His hand to us. But as well as learning how to give, we need to also learn how to receive. For the number of us who struggle to give, there’s just as many of us who struggle to receive. Whether it’s money, gifts or even compliments, we don’t know how to receive well from others. But we know that God wants to bless us and give back to us. And He often does it through all kinds of people. It’s like a cycle. We give to others, and God gives back to us through others, and then God gives to them because they’ve given to us – and so on. Ever heard the phrase, ‘you’re blessed to be a blessing’? When God gives to us, we shouldn’t hold on to it. If we’re willing to share the blessing with others, we’ll feel even more blessed. It’s also about our heart. If we’re giving just so we receive, then we won’t feel more blessed at all. So let’s get our hearts right and open up our hands ready to give and receive well.
