gifts – Robyn Mulder

I received a gift today. I was very glad to get it, but I was surprised at the thoughts going through my head afterward.

Maybe I should tell you what I got first. You see, I’ve been doing some work in the church office this week. Our administrative assistant is fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and this was a rough week. I was happy to help out so she could rest.

I was working on the bulletin today, when all of a sudden her husband showed up with a vase full of beautiful flowers!

I protested that those weren’t necessary, but to tell her thank you from me. A little while later I texted her to say thanks and I sent her a picture of her gift.

“Thanks for helping out!” the card said. But I couldn’t just accept and enjoy her gift. My brain started doing all sorts of goofy things.

I should send her some flowers since she’s not feeling well. I hope she didn’t waste too much money on me. How can I pay her back for this?

I’m getting a little better at catching my thoughts, so I didn’t let my brain spin on those worries for too long. I smiled as I carried my flowers home when I got done working and I’ve been enjoying them every time I catch a glimpse of them. I’ve taken a few minutes to admire them again and stick my nose deep into one of the roses to enjoy its aroma.

It was a wonderful gift.

Today is Good Friday. Some of us have trouble accepting God’s beautiful gift. Sometimes our brains start doing all sorts of goofy things.

Jesus endured so much pain on the cross. I can’t believe he’d do that for little old me. How can I repay him for his sacrifice?

We have to catch those thoughts that spin and cause us to focus on ourselves. Instead we can think about the love he had for us that sent him to that cross. He wanted to go through that excruciating experience so each of us could have eternal life. It’s amazing!

We can take time today to reflect on the pain he went through and the shame he bore, but we can’t stay there. We have to remember that Sunday morning came and the tomb was empty. He rose from that grave. Death couldn’t hold him! Later he went to heaven to prepare a place for us. We can smile every time we remember what he did for us.

It was a wonderful gift.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

How are you at accepting gifts? How can focusing on God help you to accept Jesus’ wonderful gift ?

This week in the One Year Bible we had to read the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. A man goes on a trip and leaves five talents to one servant, two to the next, and one to a third servant. When he returns the first servant has doubled his talents to ten, the second servant doubled his to four, but the third servant buried his in the ground and can only return one talent to the master.

The first two servants receive praise: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

The third servant hears something different, of course. “You wicked, lazy servant!”

Now, I know that “talents” are amounts of money in this story, but I can’t help thinking of the actual talents God has given me.

This time when I read the parable, my heart said “Ouch.” I sometimes use the talents God gave me, but more often it feels like I just bury them somewhere because it’s risky to use them, it’s scary to do some things, it’s easier to coast along doing things that don’t take much work or talent.

Lazy? I’ll admit that I’ve been that at times.

Wicked? That’s harder to admit.

As I’m prone to do, I thought a lot about this parable in the hours after I read it. My mind started hyperfocusing on how I haven’t used God’s talents well.

Look at all the years I wasted, when I could have been writing books and helping people with other talents I have.

Those kinds of thoughts don’t do me or anyone else any good. I only have today and the future in which to use my talents. I still have them. The Master has not yet returned. Lord willing, I still have time to invest them and double them in the years ahead.

I just can’t give in to the temptation to bury those talents and play it safe. So I’ll keep digging them up, dusting them off, and choosing to use them for the Master’s glory.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)

Are you using your talents, or have you buried them somewhere safe? How can focusing on God give you the courage to use your talents faithfully?

Tag: gifts

Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Accepting Gifts

Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Burying Talents