Giver or Taker?

Today at church, we celebrated our new Senior Pastor's first Sunday at our church (well, actually he's been our interim for a year, but what Baptist would pass up an opportunity to eat?!). I got to sit with a sweet couple from our church that we have been so blessed to know. Their names are Mark and Debbie and they are two of the most generous people we know. About two years ago, their son was in the hospital and Tim went to go make a visit and pray with them; ever since, Mark and Debbie have showed so much kindness to us that we have come to a point of not understanding it. They are just SO full of love!

So on the way home, I got to thinking about people. Most of us fall into two categories: givers and takers. Mark and Debbie are certainly givers. Not only are they givers of tangible "stuff", but they are givers of love! They hardly know us, but today Debbie held Emmanuel for a long time, whispered sweet nothings in her ear, covered her chubby cheeks with kisses, and protected her with a momma bear-like mentality from the barrage of germ covered kids that were running around us. Mark asked what I wanted to drink, went and got it for me, and then took up Eli and my plates when we were done eating (Tim was off doing the pastoral thing- "working the crowd").

I want to be more like Mark and Debbie! I want to leave those around me with a feeling of "Wow! I feel loved!" Jesus was and still is the very same way! He was the Giver of all givers! He washed the feet of his students (see John 13). He spent time talking with a prostitute when everyone else walked a block out of the way to avoid having to converse with such a lowly creature (see John 4). He stressed the importance of caring for orphans and widows when the rest of society abandoned them (see James 1:27). He gave me two precious and perfectly healthy babies when modern medicine says that I should never have even conceived a child!

What are you? A giver or taker? Are you living your life giving love, giving encouragement, giving your time, talents, and money to those around you? I know, I know. You have bills. You have work. You are so busy. So is God! He has 6 billion children to attend to EVERY DAY! Yikes...and I thought having two butts to wipe was hard! But He will not stop giving everything for you. He gave his Son to pay for your sins and for mine. That was my cross He died on. That was my lashing He took! Won't you take a moment today to be a giver? I have a suspicion you will come out of it more blessed than the recipient!

I love you all, dear sisters!

Gwenny