How Can We Give If People Won’t Receive

The Bible reports that it is better to give than receive. I believe this as a truth that stands on its own and I know it to be a truth by experience. When I give, it makes me happy in a way that nothing else does. Especially when I give anonymously. Why anonymously? Because when I give anonymously, the receiver can’t refuse the gift.

Despite the fact that giving makes me happy, there are times when giving is a challenge. It’s a challenge because some people won’t receive what I want to give. Many years ago I felt led to give a woman $25. It was not a pre-planned act of generosity. I saw this woman picking up aluminum cans on the side of the road. As I drove past her, I felt compelled to turn around and give her the $25 I had in my pocket. I turned around at the next opportunity, drove to where she was, parked the car, got out and walked up to her and offered her my $25. The look on her face was priceless. I could sense she wanted the money and couldn’t believe it was being offered to her. But just as quickly as the look of awe on her face appeared it disappeared. She said she could not take my money and had no clue why I was offering it to her. A boldness came over me and I just told her the truth. I told her I was a Christian and when I drove by her I felt that she could use this money and I needed to turn around and give it to her. I told her that I think Jesus wanted to bless her and was showing His love for her. She literally took two steps back and said, “I cannot take your money.” I sensed there was no use in arguing with her so I left putting my money back in my pocket as I walked to my car. I have wondered about this incident many times. I wonder what kind of blessing this woman missed out on that extended far beyond the $25. I also wondered if I had missed a blessing because she refused my gift and I was not able to give.

Since that time, I have encountered some people whom I’ve had to convince to take what I want to give them. They say they “don’t need the gift” (whatever it might be) or they “have the money and can pay” or I “don’t need to be doing that.” I even know some people who have told me they don’t want to take anything because it is better to give than to receive. My question back to them is this: if everyone wants to give and no one wants to receive, how can any giving be accomplished? Ironically enough, some of these same people have some issues with the fact that they don’t believe God has honored their giving. I try to offer a shift in thinking by asking them this question: Is it possible God has been trying to honor your giving but you don’t let Him because you are refusing to receive the gifts people are offering to you?

We need to be giving people for our own sake because of the way giving blesses our own soul. We also need to be a giving people for the sake of others and how our giving can meet their needs and sometimes meet the desire of their hearts. In turn, we also need to be receiving people. As people who know how to receive, we end up being blessed and being a blessing. We are blessed because God is supplying us with something that we didn’t deserve or earn. We are a blessing because we allowed a person the opportunity to give. This person in turn will be honored for his/her act of giving.

Giving does not happen without receiving. Be a giver and a receiver and experience the joy and happiness of being a blessing and of being blessed.