When my children were very young, we were blessed to be living around my family. My children’s playmates and best friends were their cousins. This spawned a Christmas morning tradition. After the gifts were opened, the wrapping paper was in the trash, and the traditional Christmas breakfast quiche was in the oven, invariably I would hear, “Can I call (fill in cousin’s name) and tell them what I got?” The phone would be busy for the next hour or so as they all took turns calling their cousins.
One year, the family was together a few days after Christmas, and we sisters/moms were discussing this ritual of the Christmas morning phone calls. My sister April made a comment that she couldn’t believe her son Cheyenne was so interested in the clothes that my son Corbin had received. She explained that she heard him asking detail after detail about the clothes, which were usually questions reserved for toys or sports items. Right then, Cheyenne was walking through the room, so we asked him why the deep interest in the clothes. His response was, “Because I know when Corbin grows out of it, I will get it!” He was already planning on the re-gifting!
Have you ever re-gifted anything? Chances are you have. You can only use so many coffee mugs or candles. Maybe you already have that book. You put the items in a closet and they come in handy for that unexpected quick gift you need to give. Does that sound awful to you? Then think about it. Have you ever given anyone anything you haven’t first received? What would you say if I told you the Bible says to re-gift? You don’t believe me? Look up 1 Peter 4:10: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
What have you received? Give it. Have you received mercy? Give mercy. Have you received forgiveness? Give forgiveness. Have you received grace? Give grace. Have you received unconditional love? Give unconditional love. Paul mentions 3 times in 1 Corinthians that what he has received, he is giving to them, the church at Corinth. (1 Corinthians 4:7, 11:23, 15:3)
Do you want to give good gifts? The Bible tells us in James 1:17 that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father”. What have you received from the Father? Give it. I know for a fact that you have received all the things mentioned in the previous paragraph. And I’m going to bet that you’ve received a lot more than that! And here is the best part – when you give it will be multiplied! Just like when Jesus fed the multitude on the hillside, the more he broke and gave of the fish and bread, the more there was! “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38.
Do you get it? This is God’s economy: you receive – so you give – then you receive more – so you give more – and so on, and so on, and so on. Awesome, isn’t it?! What do you need more of? Then give it.
A View from the Parsonage 