Is a Gift Really a Gift If It’s Not Received?

We all like gifts, don’t we? Whether given in appreciation for something we’ve done, an expression of someone’s care for us, or a spontaneous gesture, gifts are fun.

 

Of course, some gifts are great but others, not so much. Years ago, one of my aunts had a habit of giving really unusual gifts. One time it was three pairs of thin, stretchy socks – red, yellow and white; another time it was a glass gravy boat with a lid shaped like a turkey. They say it’s the thought that counts – I couldn’t help wondering at times what she was thinking.

On the other hand, a few months ago, a good friend gave me a gift that was totally unexpected. Like me, Herb has enjoyed playing drums since his teen years, but decided it was time to part with his set of drums. Knowing I had resumed taking drum lessons for fun, Herb gifted me with his drum kit, complete with accessories.

 

The electronic drum kit I’d been using was enjoyable, but it wasn’t as serviceable as the real thing. So, I was very gratified by my friend’s generous gift. However, what if I had chosen not to accept the drums? They wouldn’t have been a gift, just a friend’s good intentions that weren’t accepted.

 

There’s a spiritual parallel to this. Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is one of the most amazing and encouraging passages in the Scriptures. Because we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, as Romans 3:23 asserts, we deserve condemnation and eternal separation from God. However, in His grace and mercy, the Lord offers us eternal life as a totally unmerited gift.

 

This is where the importance of receiving the gift comes in. John 1:12-13 declares, “Yet to all who have received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” The right to become children of God (complete with the gift of eternal life) is available “to all who have received Him…who have believed in His name.”

 

Oh, but God is love, right? Doesn’t He accept everybody, regardless of what they’ve done or what they’ve believed? According to the Scriptures, that’s a definite “nope.” His gift of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life is offered freely, but must be received.

 

According to the Scriptures, it’s not a matter of good things we have done. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

 

Those are hard words to read. They certainly were difficult for people who heard Jesus say them in person. But it comes down to sincere faith, believing who Jesus was – and is – and receiving Him as Savior and Lord. As Paul the apostle wrote, “And we thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

When we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, in addition to redemption and life everlasting, there are many other things we receive. But that’s a subject for another time. What’s most important is having assurance that we have indeed received His free gift. In appreciation for what the Lord has done, we also should tell others about the gift that’s available to them as well. As Jesus told His disciples, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8). 

Appreciating the Gifts We Already Have

When I was a boy, going to bed on Christmas Eve was always a frustrating experience. I was eager to fall asleep so Christmas morning would arrive sooner and I could unwrap the wonderful surprises under the tree. But my anticipation made sleep almost possible.

Many of us are in a similar mode right now. We’re either fretting over what gifts to buy for family and friends – or whether what we’ve already gotten is the right gift – or looking ahead to the gifts we’ll be receiving. The trouble is, all of this future expectation often makes it hard for us to appreciate the gifts we already have.

I began thinking about this in 2006, immediately after my open-heart surgery. Until then I was probably like most folks: I’d start each day either excited about what I planned to do, or dreading what I would be facing. But I never regarded a new day as a “gift.” Upon awakening from the surgery, despite expected pain and soreness, I realized God had given me the gift of a new day. 

This kind of surgery is among the most complex and serious, and patients don’t always survive – strokes, heart attacks, occasionally the heart that was stopped to perform bypass grafts doesn’t restart. So everyone who survives open-heart surgery, or any similar kind of procedure, should recognize just the act of waking up is a gift.

My recent encounter with brain surgery, having a mass removed from my pituitary gland, served as a vivid reminder of this reality. One day you’re cruising through life, experience what seems to be a minor headache at first, and a few days later you’re consulting with a neurosurgeon on unavoidable surgery. 

Even without having to undergo surgery, we can be grateful for the gift of good health if we have it – because many do not, as I know so well. If we’re able to move about with a minimum of aches, pains and limitations, that’s a gift. No question. Because not everyone has that gift.

The list of our present gifts could go on: Family members we love. Friends we enjoy being with. Enough money to pay our bills. A job that supplies enough money for paying those bills, especially if you can find some measures of satisfaction and fulfillment in that job. The capacity for pursuing and appreciating favorite hobbies and pastimes. 

Eyesight for witnessing a sunrise or sunset. Hearing to listen to babies giggle and birds chirp. The gift of smell to revel in the aromas of the holiday season. Tastebuds that enable us to enjoy the flavors of this season – or any season – whether it be ham, potato salad, pecan pie, or the menu item of your choice. Touch for hugging loved ones, petting a puppy, feeling a warm shower.

In the Scriptures we read a lot about gifts. James 1:17 tells us, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” After reading about humankind’s plight – our separation from God by sin for which we can no way atone – we read the Good News, that God is offering the greatest gift of all: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

No wonder the apostle Paul doesn’t mince words when he writes in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

So as we’re fretting over what gifts to give and building expectancy for gifts we might receive, let’s be sure to do one thing: Not forget about the gifts we’ve already got!