December 29 2015

December 29 2015 Greetings My Friend The question was “What would you give Baby Jesus?” On my Facebook page “Lettersfromjanet” I thought that I would give Agape love, to seek another person’s highest good the same way God seeks my highest good. For some reason this question is still rolling around in my mind. I recall a long ago conversation with my Father that he often quoted to me, “It is better to give than to receive.” I bought this concept for many years and I am not opposed to it either but somewhere during my lifetime a new thought came to me. I often repeated the “it is better to give than to receive” thought to myself. I thought of the years that we as a family were given to because of Dad having polio and assistance was not easily gotten since we moved back to Michigan which at that time meant you had to live there 6 months. It was made harder because Dad’s parents refused to help us because of reasons beyond my understanding. I grew up married had children and at times life was a struggle. I recall times reaching out to neighbors or friends and at other times neighbors and friends reached out to us. It was during a back and forth of reaching out that the new thought started forming. It took a while but one day the thought had words, “if no one received then no one would be able to give.” I saw that in order to give thier needs to be someone to give to. My thinking started to delve into the idea that at times we need to receive in order to allow someone else to give. Along the way through the years I met many people who felt that they were to be given to and they did not need to give back. We all know that many organizations have a group of people who make the circuit in order to receive. They take and take and take some more and then when they get a “no” they are offended. When I knew that this was a problem I struggled with “how much should I give to someone” and when does trying to help begin to hinder that person’s good. Around this time I learned another thought, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” With this thinking I understood that sometimes giving means opening doors for the person to walk away from being in need to helping themselves. Giving just to gives tend to create a climate of “entitlement.” I myself have run into those in my circle of acquaintances that started to expect to be able to have a portion of my money, time and possessions. I quickly knew that if I kept giving all that I would not have enough to sustain myself much less have enough to give to others. This did not make sense to me. Slowly through the years I have learned that God does not require me to give to each every person that crosses my path that has a need. More recently I find myself asking God if I am to give and God is faithful and teaches me when to give and when not to give. I also find myself going to God when I am in need. Many times my talks with God is enough. Sometimes though God brings another person into my life to walk beside me, give to me in my need. In time I find the moment that I can move on and once more I am able to reach out to give again. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet