In most relationships there is a giver and a taker. It isn’t cut and dry as in one only gives and the other only takes. But typically there is one partner that gives more than takes and the other tends to take more than give.
The giver usually likes to give for various reasons whether it is from an emotional need to be recognized, to gain credit or because they genuinely enjoy giving. Most true givers love to do it anonymously and watch from afar. A number of givers are prone to not being able to receive. That is a hard reality that eventually gets worked out with time and maturity.
Some takers are just that. They are self-absorbed and just suck from every situation in their life. They usually drain the folks closest to them and do not have the ability to acquire true relationships. There are other folks that just ‘are not’ givers thus they fall into the taker position. Maybe no one taught them how to give or the joy in giving. Or perhaps the two people are givers but one usually exceeds the other in their desire to give.
‘Takers’ do not necessarily enjoy receiving. True receiving requires a fragment of humility and most takers do not clothe themselves in meekness. They almost feel as if the world is obligated to them for something, everything or anything. And golly gee, that they truly deserve it so even if they can ‘receive’ something it is cloaked in a pride that thinks you owed it to them anyhow.
Unfortunately our relationship with Christ is the same. He, for obvious reasons is the giver and thus we become the takers. We can receive or take his salvation, blessings, healings, and anything else we perceive that he has that we don’t have and we want. We pray with our hands outstretched asking for a host of things for him to do for us. We go to church and look for the blessings. We read our bibles and think we will get extra kudos for the good deed. We spend so much time looking for what more he can do for us or give to us to make our lives fruitful.
For the most part our relationships with our Maker are one of take, take, take and then ask for more to take. And God in his graciousness continues to give sometimes to our own detriment. We become fat and content and begin to worship the golden calf.
When our relationship with the Lord is like this it lacks definition and the character to be a true relationship. There has to be a give and take together. There is so much we can bring to God and give him. Our heart. Our obedience. Our lives. Our daily situations. Our jobs. Our families. Our lives stripped open to be used for his glory. Our willingness to let him bring us into his perfection and maturity.
What if we tried to out give God? I know the churches like to teach the unscriptural New Testament practice of tithing and would talk about trying to out give God. But what if we tried to out give him in heart, emotional and physical principles? What if we tried to take our prayer life and instead of asking for all he can do for us, we ask what we can do for him? Instead of going to the scriptures to find the ‘blessing of the day’ you go trying to find the heart of God and see what new thing he wants to do in you today? What if we go to church not expecting a blessing but are there to be a blessing to our Creator? What if we made an honest effort to see how many things we could do to turn the tides just a tad in him being the giver and us the takers?
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. ~ Acts 20:35
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