Part II – Receiving
Guest blog by Pastor Pam Dyck, The River Community Church, Abbotsford, BC
Pastor Pam Dyck has recently been a guest on the “Let’s Talk Money with Dave and Reb”podcast. She is also the author of the book Soul Restored. (pamdyck.com) She has a heart to see people set free to receive the love of God the Father, and love Him in return. Her passion comes through in her teaching, her writing, and her life. Here are some of her thoughts on giving and receiving.
Last week, I wrote my thoughts about giving. This time, I want to look at the topic of receiving -from God and others. Remember, giving and receiving are big subjects, and ones that have so often been tainted by wrong motives, or manipulation on both the giving, and the receiving, sides of it. Some of our experiences may have tainted our desire to give, or to ask for help.
Receiving out of a heart full of love
I believe all giving and receiving must be done by, and with, a heart full of love! It’s the love that changes how we give, and love that changes how we receive! When you and I know how loved we are by God, we can see His provision in however He chooses to supply it.
Becoming better ‘givers’ by receiving
I believe we make better ‘givers’ if we have been on the receiving end of giving at some point in our lives, when we have had a need, and God has used our ‘neighbour’ to meet that need. It helps us know ‘how’ to give, how to act, how to speak – it helps us remember to ‘honour’ others, and not just ‘rescue’ others. Being on the receiving end WILL change how we give.
When we have a need
We all have needs, and sometimes God wants us to receive from our ‘neighbour’ to meet that need. But what if you or I ‘feel silly’ or awkward in this position. Perhaps even pride rises up within us, and we say ”no thank you” to the gift being offered.
Well…
First of all, you’ve robbed someone of a blessing.
God assigned them the task of being generous. He’s teaching them how to ‘hear and obey’ and your ‘no’ has now robbed them of the joy of obedience, and possibly caused them to doubt they can hear God.
Receiving takes humility
You and I need to be humble and have a grateful heart. We don’t get to decide HOW God will answer our needs, He does! And He gets to send you answers in a way that blesses both the one giving and the one receiving! Don’t be shy about voicing a need when you feel God tell you to. People can’t read your mind! Plus God is using this situation to humble you, and train givers to see if this is their assignment. Keep all of this in mind so you don’t worry about anyone feeling guilty when they hear your need!
Expressing a need is not showing weakness
There’s a great quote from writer, ambassador and socialite Elizabeth Bibesco: “Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.” This is a good posture to have in our giving and receiving. Remember from last week’s blog on giving, that 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us to take time and make up our own minds about giving. So don’t listen to the lie that says it’s showing weakness or is a failure if you have to ask for help! God is training you, just like He’s training the one who is to meet that need. Blessed are we, who give without remembering, and receive without forgetting.
So, let’s practise both sides of this issue. Being generous, without manipulation – freely giving where God asks us to sow. Then learning to be receivers, who never forget what it was like to have a need met, so that when it is our turn to meet a need, we will do so, with honour and grace!