Receive

What does it mean to receive? Dictionary.com offers this definition: “to take into one's possession (something offered or delivered).” If you take possession of something, how far do you have to go with it? How long do you keep it?  When are you justified in throwing it out? Is it just an object, or can it be invisible too? Of course a possession can be both a tangible and intangible object, and I do believe that the amount of importance you put on the possession will make all the difference in how you treat it and how long it stays around.  

I have always been a little bit silly about what my husband calls my “family heirlooms.”  I have always been that person in the family that would latch on to a certain object because they had some sort of history with it, or just liked remembering that it belonged to great so and so. My family members have passed these objects down in hopes that the next generation would see value in them.  My daughter is as bad as I am about the family stuff.  Being the only child, though, puts her at an advantage, or disadvantage, of inheriting all the heirlooms that have managed to make their way to me and that I have cherished and preserved all this time. I have also shared with her the stories that I have been given with each thing; who they belonged to, what they were for, and how to preserve them too.  

But although I am quite grateful for these heirlooms, they do have a distance to them.  Once the person who gave them to me is gone, I am no longer responsible to anyone but myself concerning them.  I can choose to break the tradition and let them go.  Or I can mistreat them and have to throw them out because they are no longer worth wasting space for.  Once gone, though, they are most likely not coming back.   These objects can take on a whole new meaning to someone else; maybe good, maybe not.

But how about the intangible objects such as friendship, love, and companionship?  These I have had a lot harder time receiving.  It seems many times I have wanted those things from people that had no intentions of giving them to me in the first place.  Sometimes they have pretended to give them to me in order to gain something from the situation.  But even at times when individuals were genuinely giving me something, I still would draw back.  It seems to be hard for me to open up and receive when I think I am not worthy.  I should be giving more, doing more in order to be a better person, not receiving.

In my Christian life it is even harder for me to receive anything. I have been one that holds to the idea that if you do good, then you get good, do bad, you get bad.  That is how things in society goes ( we even have a “Golden Rule” for it!).  But I have learned that neither is always the case. Sometimes the situation is just bad, and sometimes there is absolutely no logical reason why it turned out good.  And for some reason it is in both of these situations that I look for a reason as to why or what I did to make it this way.

This morning I was listening to a podcast from our pastor who made a statement about what the problem is in us having favor with God. The problem is in the receiving. Romans 5:17 says, “For if by one man’s offence (Adam) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”  What does it mean to “reign in life?” Some commentaries translate this scripture to mean that we have trumph in our life when we accept the gifts of grace and righteousness that Christ has offered us.  I need to learn this kind of receiving.  I need to receive the good as well as the not so good, and focus where I believe that favor comes from.

Receiving these days seems to be one of two extremes; either totally selfish or totally rejected.  There is a balance, or there should be. Giving and receiving from the important people in your life makes that bond stronger.  It may not last your entire lifetime from the same person, but it will have a lasting effect on who you are.  I know I am blessed beyond measure with good family and wonderful friends.  I am also learning that God is not just up there hanging out wanting to interject some good stuff every once and awhile.  He is ever present, behind the scene, showering favor on his children.  I need to open up more to this and trust the outcome is what it should be. I know that this is the best heirloom I could possibly ever pass along to all of those who will receive.