Adventures in Generosity: Good Reception
April 2, 2026
I guess I am not yet finished with the topic of generosity. We are taught that it is better, or more blessed, to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). The adventure of generosity hinges on this idea and the joy that comes from generosity is deeper than you think. However, there is a flip side. We have to be just as good at receiving as we are at giving. God, a Giver. James 1:17 says that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father. We must be ready to receive from God to sustain our adventures in generosity. He is our Source.
You will not be acting on generosity for very long before you notice that generosity begets generosity. It is catching. You give to others and others want to give too. A prime example of this is when someone in the drive-thru at McDonalds pays for the meal of the car behind them. Then, that person is surprised and decides to pay for the meal of the car behind them and so on. Once I was the 8th person in line whose meal had been paid for by the car ahead.
If God uses you to get blessings to others, He will use others to get blessings to you. And you must learn to be okay with that. Gifts are meant to be a blessing to the receiver and to the giver. Never reject a gift. Doing so would deprive the giver of their opportunity to be blessed in giving. Just take it and say thank you. Your reception must be as strong as your broadcasting.
Many of us are uncomfortable receiving gifts, especially ones that we think we don’t need. It is uncomfortable to receive a gift of money from a person you know can’t really afford to do it. Remind yourself that this gift-giving action is between God and that person. If God laid it on their heart to give you something, don’t short circuit their blessing by saying no thank you. This is not easy, but there are a few ways to manage that uncomfortableness.
In a previous generosity post, I mentioned a young man to whom several hundred dollars was given. He immediately grabbed the giver’s hand. He said a quick prayer, something like, “Lord, bless the hand that gave this gift. Show me how to best use it for Your glory. Amen.” It was quick and acknowledged that God is the ultimate giver.
Sometimes you will get gifts that you can’t use, but you know someone who can. Say something like, “Thank you so much for this. My niece needs this very thing. I’d like to give it to her. Are you okay with me telling her that this is from you?” or “Thank you. I know exactly what to do with this.” There is so much more joy and thanksgiving when the giver hears that their generosity is part of a bigger picture. Cultivate the ability to accept gifts graciously. That graciousness in receiving is a witness to others.
Sometimes you will get a gift that you don’t know what to do with. It seems random and you don’t know why God thought you needed that. I have been surprised a few times that the random gift turned out to be something I needed a few days or weeks later. God is way ahead of us. I love to be able to thank the person a second time saying something like “You know I did not know why you gave me _______ , but two weeks after you gave it to me, I needed it! Praise God for your generosity and for Him providing it in advance of the need.”
If someone gives me money and I don’t immediately know what I should be doing with it, I hold it. I ask God to show me what He wants me to do with it. I assume that the gift was given to me by the prompting of God and He has a plan for it. Without exception, the purpose soon becomes clear.
I named this series Adventures in Generosity because I really enjoy working with God. I thank God for blessing me in both the giving and the receiving. It is one of the ways that I can participate in His plan and reflect His character, always pointing back to God as the source and the planner. The adventure is simultaneously humbling and joyous. That can only be from God.
Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for the times I have benefited from the generosity of others. Bless those hands that give me gifts. Show me how to best use those gifts to further your plans and generate praise and thanksgiving to You. Amen.