The Gift of Receiving

I recently heard a story about a missionary who was working in a farming community of a very economically depressed country.  One day, one of the local men the missionary had gotten to know asked if he had a farm back at home.  The missionary lived in a large city and replied that he did not have a farm and then thought no more about it.  Several days later when the missionary was getting ready to return home, this man came to him and, with very sincere concern, told him that he and his wife decided to give the missionary some of their land since, because he had no farm where he lived, he was obviously in greater need than they were. 

As poor as this family was, their priority was to give of what little they had.  It would have been an understandable response for the missionary to refuse the gift, to assure the man that he had no need of the land.  After all, the missionary’s purpose was to give, not to receive.  Fortunately, the missionary understood the value for this couple in being able to give as well as receive.  His response was to thank this man for his generosity and accept the gift.  Wisely, before the missionary got on the plane to return home, he requested that the man and his wife do him a great favor and care for “his land” as their own since he would not be able to do it himself.

How comfortable are you with receiving?  I can only speak for myself, but I don’t do it very well.  Whether it’s a compliment offered after a project I’ve completed or a birthday gift given to me by one of my children, I tend to deflect.  “No, it was really nothing.”  “Seriously, you guys shouldn’t have done that.” 

As a Christian, I believe giving is a part of who I am called to be.  However, I think the unintentional message I may send when I don’t receive well is that those extending their kind words or gracious gifts actually don’t have anything of value to give me.  And that’s the furthest thing from the truth. 

The Christmas season is a time of gift giving, but it’s also a time of gift receiving.  God is the greatest Gift Giver, and the only appropriate response for the gift of Jesus is a humble, “Thank you!”  Maybe these are the only words needed as we learn to acknowledge the great need we have for each other as well.

Tami Cinquemani