Are You A Receiver Or A Giver

Men are a funny bunch. Most men enjoy receiving gifts more than giving. It’s an ego thing. We love receiving promotions. We love receiving glory for things we do. We love standing ovations which places us on a pedestal. We love accolades for great achievements; and the list goes on. Men should rather be givers rather than takers. Give your heart to your wife. Give flowers to your wife. Give your life to God. Give your time to build up others. Give of your talents to do great deeds, for man or God. Lift up the weak and lost – give freely in whatever way possible. In Acts 20:35, Jesus had stated the following while He was with His disciples; “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Is your life always a blessing to others? Are you being blessed by what you can offer to others, or to God for that matter? Women enjoy giving. It’s a nature of their hearts. It’s a lifestyle. And they, in turn, receive in abundance. Men are different though. We love receiving, more than giving. That’s just our nature, our style. We place ourselves on our own pedestals and expect to be blessed by who we are. Wrong! God clearly showed us that we are more blessed when we give than when we receive. Peter understood this principle very well as he spoke in the verse above, quoting what Jesus had taught them. And they were truly blessed. Jesus Christ was the best example of a giver, rather than being a receiver. He could have received since He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Instead, He gave of Himself for our sins. He gave of His life on earth to free mankind from the dark lives we are living. He gave of His time and His ministry to lead others on to the right path of life. He was the ultimate Giver.

Look at the world around you today. Many are living lives that are far from great, whether it be financial, whether it be free from sin, whether it be non-talented, and the list goes on. What are you doing about it? Are you a giver or a receiver? Give of your time, your money, your shoulder of support, or whatever it is that God has blessed you with, even finances, to help those that are weak. There are many in our “Churches” who need support. It could be a shoulder to cry on. It could be a spiritual hole they are in right now. It could be poverty due to many circumstances. What are you doing about it? Many just need an ear to listen, or a prayer for uplifting their lives, or words of encouragement. We are men who can do that. Why? God has blessed us in so many ways, each in whatever He gave to us. Use this and help others. I have helped some with financial issues, or prayed for someone to strengthen them, or offered a ear to listen, then encouraging them, uplifting them to a new level of thinking. Why don’t you start doing it as well? Become a giver rather than a taker and be blessed by our God who sees our hearts. Are you in a place of need right now? I can pray for you and your circumstances if you wish. I’m available… Contact me via email at nelson.canha@gmail.com and we can “talk” through it and about it. Amen…