Is it just me or do people seem to be stingy these days?  I mean it just really seems like people are all about themselves and what they can get out of folks.  This is one of the many things that seem to stick out to me now more than ever, not saying this doesn’t happen everywhere, but it has just become more prevalent in my environment.  Maybe because for my whole life back in the states I pretty much stayed to myself and the people I did associate with were family or true friends I have had for quite a while.  Granted, even some friends and family will still use and abuse if you let them, but for the most part I already know who operates like that, so I love on them from a distance.  The law of reciprocity is vital in any functional relationship.  There is give and take but it is not a one-way street, it comes from both ends.  I remember reading a book a while ago and it talked about the different ways people love.  I found this book to be very interesting because immediately I could point out one of the characteristics that fit me perfectly, and that was a giver.  I have no problems giving to people, in particular people who I have a relationship with.  Over the years though, God has shown me that I have to be very discerning in my giving spirit because the enemy will try to use that as a means to attack.  At first I didn’t quite understand how the enemy could attack me in my giving, after all it was a choice I was making.  The way the enemy moves is through people and what he will do is use people to try to take advantage of me.  Let’s be clear, I am not simply talking about physical things either.  Yes, when you think of a typical gift it’s something tangible, but tangible stuff doesn’t mean all that much to me.  It can easily be replaced.  If I give you a new shirt, I can go buy a new shirt tomorrow to replace it, no big deal.  I’m talking about giving as a whole.  Giving your time, your attention, making sacrifices for people, etc.  All of the above is a form of giving because it requires you to take away from yourself.

Yes it hurts when I figure out that someone is only trying to get what they want out of me and I am sure it hurts you too, but what bothers me even more is when someone does this to God.  As a servant of God and active member of my church, there have been so many people simply use God.  Now of course, this is just my take on the situation because God knows what’s going to happen before it ever does, but it just seem like problem after problem people will come asking for this and that from God and as soon as they get what they want, they turn their back and walk away from Him.  This makes me so angry.  How can we do God like that?  He is our daddy, our Heavenly Father who loves us so much but yet we only come to Him when we want something or when we are going through a tough time.  As a parent, I can only imagine how this would make me feel.  The crazy part about it is God is such a loving, gracious and merciful God.  He knows what we are going to do and how we are going to do it, yet He still allows us to walk around His earth breathing in His air, eat His food, have a roof over our head not to mention all the other things we take for granted.  The law of reciprocity should not only be applied towards other individuals, it should be applied towards God as well.  I don’t have to ask what He’s done for you, but I will ask what have you done for Him lately?  God is God, so there really isn’t much we can do for Him anyway, but we can pray and talk to Him, we can spend time with Him, we can tell other people about Him, overall we should at least do our best to have a true reciprocal relationship with Him.

It’s funny because while God placed this on my heart to write about, I keep hearing my three-year old daughter in the back of my head saying, “we share in this house”.  That is what her dad and I taught her when we had our youngest daughter so they can learn to share with one another.  One of the best things about having children is that you can lay the foundation early and teach them how to share.  I want my babies to know how to have a reciprocal relationship with people and I hope and pray that they teach their children to do the same.  God has been too good to us to just take, take, take and not want to give anything back to anyone in return.  Count your blessings, then start passing them out to others, I know I will.  After all, my baby girl said it best, “we share in this house”.  #iDeclare #weshareinthishouse

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I come first and foremost repenting. Please forgive me for times when I have thought only about myself.  Forgive me for always taking, but not wanting to give in return.  You have been so good to me God, please forgive me.  I decree and declare that from this day forward I will operate in the law of reciprocity.  I will not just be a taker, but I will be a giver as well.  In Jesus name, Amen. 

Scripture Reading:

Hebrews 13:16 NIV “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

1 Timothy 6:18 NLT “Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.”