Freely

Freely have you received. Freely give.
- Jesus in Matthew 10:8

On Sunday, Courtney talked about how generous her neighbors, extended family, and church was to her little family growing up and how that was the only way they got special things for Christmas or candy at Easter. Because of that generosity, now as an adult she’s committed to passing it on to others (see below for a pic of her giving out 100 ‘takeout’ Easter Egg bags for neighbors because she couldn’t pull off the egg hunt due to Covid-19).

Like Courtney, so often it’s because we have received that we feel compelled to give. Sometimes, however, that connection gets short-circuited because we experience betrayal, extended difficulties, or loss. Each of those discouraging situations are worth holding gently and thoughtfully, so please don’t move into guilting yourself for not giving enough. But for others of us our own generosity is short-changed because we aren’t very good at pausing and realizing just how much has been given to us. We take it for granted. We grow apathetic. We think we deserved it.

What does it look like to freely receive good gifts for you? What does it look like to allow the goodness you have received to flow over into generosity? Is there an area of life that you might want to take some time to ponder today in order to get in touch with gratitude again (perhaps your health, a friendship, your job, or even the weather)? Take time with Jesus now to receive and pray and then to ponder giving.