When someone gives you something, it now belongs to you. Be grateful for it, but take ownership of it. A gift given is a permanent transaction. It is no longer in their possession, it is in yours.
I love to give; it’s my love language to be able to give to others. It dismays me when the recipient constantly refers to the gift I gave them as my mine. “I wore your shirt today.” “I slept under your blanket, last night.” “I used your pan, yesterday.” As soon as I hand those items over, they are NO longer mine, although I might keep the receipt in case the person needs to return the item to the store.
The gift is now their possession to use in any way that they see fit. My hope is that they will bless themselves with that item and maybe bless somebody else, but when I give a gift, it is given unconditionally.
So it is with God, the gifts He gave you are now yours. No strings attached, He didn’t lend them to you, He gave them to you for keeps.
Romans 11:29 (NLT) – “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
©2020 Katherine Walden