Freely

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.  Matthew 10:8

Why it is so hard to:

1. Forgive
2. Love the unlovely
3. Give of our time
4. Give of our finances
5. Give of ourselves

How we often think:

1. If I have to work for my forgiveness, so should you. 
2. If I have to be kind and nice and friendly and etc., to be loved, so should you.
3. If I only have 24 hours in a day to get stuff done & I get it done, so should you.

Get the picture?

When I asked God, He directed me to Matthew 10:8. 

I know the Bible says if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).  That a man who doesn't take care of his household is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8) but I want to talk about the freely receive part.  In truth, we can’t be good givers until we know how to receive. 

I know people who always have their hand out expecting you to fill it and get extremely upset if you don’t.

I know people who make it particularly difficult to do anything for them.  They don’t want to be beholden to anybody and will make you feel bad for try to do something for them.  Yet, they want to do for others and you are supposed to graciously accept their gift.

Neither attitude is right.  The balance?  Freely receive; freely give.

Over the last seven years, I have had to have a lot of help.  Although I was thankful for it (and hopefully the giver saw only that), I didn’t really freely receive.  It seriously irritated me that it seemed like I was always the one with my hand out. 

God took me to task for it.  I realized that, although I had freely received salvation, I believed I had to work for everything else.  So if I had to work for forgiveness, acceptance, healing, finances, etc…  Then add to that thinking it was never enough…  One messed up lady.  We have been working on that.  See, I have to freely receive from Him before I can freely give to someone else.

God gave us everything we need for life here and throughout eternity (2 Peter 1:3).  Freely receive it.  Freely give it.

Vendetta--Check it out          E-book: Smashwords      

Ghostman--Check it out        E-book: Smashwords