Suzanne's Second Estate

A web log of my thoughts, activities, life....

Thursday, July 30, 2015

More Than My Share

So ... I was going for "artsy" with this photo. When I realized I couldn't accomplish that, I opted for "no dishes or laundry in the background."

Do you ever feel like you're getting more than your share? You know that uncomfortable feeling that you're taking a lot more than you're giving? That's me this week. It's actually been a really great week of various friends and family members ministering to ME. But the less I'm able to reciprocate, the more guilty I feel.

Here's the thing, I would be the first to advocate to moms of young children (and anyone in need, actually) to ASK FOR HELP. Do it. People want to help you and you will be better and healthier for it! But when it comes to actually asking for, or receiving offers of help, I start to feel this pressure that I have to be sure to give as much as I take.

My friend Krishana (Shout out—today is her birthday!) once wrote about her compulsion to return a favor rather than simply accept it as a blessing. She writes:
I'm better at being the giver than the receiver, although in both situations God is still rewiring my thinking. My giving sometimes seeks the approval of the receiver; or I only accept a gift if I can find some way to eventually pay him or her back.  
Once in a while I catch myself saying "Are you sure?" when someone offers me something nice. Of course, it bugs me when people ask those questions when I offer them something. If I weren't sure about what I was giving them, I want to say, I wouldn't have made the offer. And yet that's too often my first response when I'm given something, trying to provide the giver an out.
I share her desire to not inconvenience others and especially to keep pace with the giving that's happening. Here's the thing: That's not how the Body of Christ is designed to work. We're not all going to be in need at the same time. Speaking of the monetary workings of the Body, Acts 2:45 says: "They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need."

Some people sold stuff they had so that others who were needy could be taken care of. God used the possessions of some to provide for others. This didn't make the receivers less worthy than the givers. In fact, they were all one in Christ. Those who gave could. And those who needed simply received. The same concept carries over to non-monetary needs—physical help, childcare, or even a listening ear over the phone. And while my need can make me feel like a freeloader at times, I know one day it will be my turn. I will be the one to offer babysitting or housecleaning or a listening ear. I will have the stuff to sell that will meet the financial need of another. And it won't be me, really. It will be God giving His stuff to someone else through me. I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, which says:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
I am certain that God uses others in the Body of Christ to pour out His comfort on us. So even when I'm feeling like I'm receiving more than my share—and I don't have the strength or resources to reciprocate—I can trust that, that is precisely how the Body of Christ is supposed to work.

(Special thanks to the people who have ministered to me this week. God bless you for your generosity.)


2 Comments:

At 8:04 AM, Blogger Day Marie said...

Beautifully written. Love your insightful thoughts. You are blessed.

 
At 8:04 AM, Blogger Day Marie said...

Beautifully written. Love your insightful thoughts. You are blessed.

 

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