Honouring the giver…

by receiving the gift.

I heard that saying the other day and instantly I was reminded of the importance of accepting gifts graciously and thankfully.

In doing so, we honour the giver by accepting the gift.

In accepting the gift you honour the giver.

I had to learn this.

We were not natural receivers of gifts in my family. It could be something really small..accepting a coffee, a meal, some shopping or a big gift.

I don’t know why but for some reason if someone wanted to give us a gift, it made us feel awkward, that we needed to have something for the giver..”oh you shouldn’t have”, “I haven’t anything for you”, “ I can’t possibly accept that”

If the gift was expected for a birthday or Christmas that was fine but an unexpected gift that upset the equilibrium. It could even cause offence where none was intended.

We didn’t have much money in my family and perhaps we thought it was charity or pity. Sadly, some gifts were rejected out of pride and I wonder now if behind the gift or prompting of the gift was God. God saw a need and sent a blessing but pride got in the way of receiving.

The joy of just accepting a gift that had been in someone’s heart and giving them joy in the receiving was lost.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬