How Do You React to Receiving a Gift?
Imagine someone walks toward you with a prettily packaged gift, extends her arms and says, “I picked this out just for you.” Your first reaction? Delight! Even giddiness that you’ve been in the thoughts of this person. Your next reaction? What do you do when someone offers you a gift? You TAKE it! You unwrap it, and although we all know you want to rip through that pretty packaging to see what awaits you, you gently open it. Lastly, with a grateful heart, you look up and thank the giver. In Kelly Wahlquist’s book Walk in Her Sandals, she tells us, “God is a generous giver.” He gives and gives and just when you think there is nothing left, He gives more.
In Chapter 2 of Walk in Her Sandals, we walk with Huldah, Stephanie Landsem’s beautiful fictional character, as she offers to help when a friend is in need. As women, God has gifted us with an innate sense of being generous – a giving of self. Before encountering Huldah, Sarah Christmyer leads us into the scriptures. Through Sarah’s teachings, we partake in the Holy Thursday Passover meal, when Jesus offers the greatest sacrifice – Himself. During the meal, he strays from the ritual of the traditional Seder meal and offers his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity to us. He teaches us with every step, every action, and every word to give of ourselves.
Discovering Our True Value
Huldah is drawn to Jesus, to be close him, to listen to Him. We share in the pull. She hears Jesus say the words “what I have done for you, you must do for others.” When she discovers that when she listens to Jesus, she hears him with her heart, we too know it is “truth and right and powerful.” And we share in her discovery that when we serve with the gift of Generosity, we find our true value.
About the Author:
Reagan Franklin is a wife, mother, Language Arts teacher and a humble servant of the Lord- working in various ministries at in our parish and diocese. Reagan is also an extraordinary woman of WINE. She has an inspiring faith, an exuberance that is contagious, and we are grateful for her willingness to share those gifts with us.
Nice Reagan, thank you.
That last line… wow… cuts right to my heart!!