Sarah and I shared an office one school year and I quickly observed that she had quite the earring collection. This was not lost on her students, and at Christmas her desk was covered with little boxes. Inside them was everything from beautifully handmade creations to missing-a-stone pairs from the thrift store. Sarah wore them all at least once. “She wore mine today!” was often heard in the hallways. 

In China, I often saw my hostess gifts received happily but then whisked away to never be seen again. Though prepared for this, I still fought doubts of bringing the right thing. My students assured me that a gift–be it apples or my homemade cookies– was personal, between the giver and receiver. 

A party was planned for the last day of business English. The students, all accountants, had brought local treats and a few wrapped boxes. But the most memorable gift was a simple goodbye song from their childhood, in which they had inserted my name. “We’re not good singers,” they said, “but we want you to know we love you.” How does one receive such a gift? We were a teary group for sure. 

So much of God is beyond our explanation, but He gives us examples from our finite human world that allow us glimpses of who he is and how to be his children. We call him the giver of all good gifts but how are we to receive these gifts? 

Like Sarah, we should share our faith in him with others. It’s not to be received and taken home and put on a shelf. 

His love for us is personal. My relationship with my God is between him and me; unique. But not so personal that it isn’t for you as well!  

Our father sent his son as the ultimate expression of love that should at times bring me to tears. 

Earrings, a plate of cookies, and a song: human illustrations of how to be a receiver from the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Actively!