Receiving Gifts

Whenever people say that receiving gifts is one of their love languages, I always have to ask myself: “how can these things be?”. Not in the sense that I think that having reception of gifts as a love language is wrong, it’s just that I really can’t relate.

Those moments when people present gifts to me, are some of the most awkward moments for me. For some reason, I begin to think; “I’m not actually worthy of this gift” or “what would be expected of me if I collect this gift?” and a myriad of similar thoughts that make the experience of receiving gifts not too pleasant for me at the end of the day. Strangely, I have no such inhibitory feelings when I’m on the giving end.

For some people, this is more or less how they feel when they’re presented with the gift of Salvation delivered through the preaching of the Gospel. Some feel that something as weighty as eternal salvation shouldn’t come so easy, and decide to pursue other religions that give them something to do to achieve absolution.

Some people however manage to supress their scruples and accept that gift of salvation. They then burden themselves with the unnecessary task of attempting to pay God back by engaging in all sorts of “bodily exercises that profit little”.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead…

Ephesians 2:4-5

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:10

Everything God has done for us, He has done out of Love. No strings attached, no hidden clauses anywhere waiting to bite you when you’re not looking. God’s Love doesn’t ask anything of us, it only demands that we give ourselves wholly to it, and respond accordingly.

You are Loved by God, and He wants you to respond to Him in Love, and not because you are trying to win His Love. Understand this, and enjoy God’s Love.

I’m also learning to understand that the people that give me gifts do so because they love me, and not for some other hidden agenda. So maybe send gifts to speed up my learning process? 🙃😂