Gifts versus the Giver (Monday, Week 20, Year II)

A gift, by the virtue of what it is, is given. In other words, there must be a giver. Gift can come or be in the form of a good friendship or relationship, material thing, good job, personal talent, and so on. Every cherished gift is the delight of our eyes, the pride of our power and the desire of our souls. The gifts that we possess should then remind us of the giver. It smacks of arrogance and ingratitude when gifts are used without acknowledging or making reference to the giver.

For the Jews, the Temple or Sanctuary was the delight of their eyes, the pride of their power and the desire of their souls. It was a precious gift which they jealously guarded. However, they adorned the Sanctuary but did not truly adore the One for whom the Sanctuary exists. They were too attached to the “gift” (sanctuary) but were completely detached from the Giver of the gift – from Yahweh. Ezekiel prophesied to them that this sanctuary which was their delight will be profaned and taken away from them. Maybe, they might then learn to focus on the Giver when the gift is gone.

When the rich young man was told to detach from the “gifts” (his riches) by selling them off and giving the money to the poor, and then come and follow and focus on the Giver of the gifts (Jesus), he went away sad. Sad because he forgot that the gifts were given; and forgot or refused to acknowledge the Giver of the gifts! 

Many of us may appear to be happy because of the gifts which we possess, but deep within we are filled with sorrow because we have become too attached to those gifts that we hardly remember to acknowledge the Giver of the gifts. Gifts are given for a purpose: for the edification of others and to be used to the greater glory of God, not for our personal aggrandizement. If this is not put into consideration in the course of the use of the gifts which we possess, we are bound to be sad and sorrowful. Whatever good thing we have or enjoy is a gift from God, not just for ourselves alone but for the edification of others. The question is: do we acknowledge God by using those gifts to His greater glory and for the good of others?