Gift

 

¹⁴When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:14-15 [NIV]) 

      If you have been to church or read your Bible, you will have learned of this discussion Jesus had with His disciples about little children and their guardians. These guardians sought Jesus’ blessings on their children. This happens today when a famous person comes to our towns and cities. We seek an audience with that person so they can kiss or hold our child. This blessing makes our heart feel good. In our minds, to be in the presence of a famous person means we are famous for that moment. We are someone more than the sum of our individual parts; it must be true since that well-known person chose to be with us. Later in life, we remember that time and recall how special we felt to have the famous person choose to be with us and to hold or kiss our child. Was this what the guardians of the children in Mark 10 wanted? Did they seek Jesus so they could have their moment of fame? Conversely, did they seek Him because they believed in Him as God’s Son and wanted God’s blessing on their children? We can look at this from the child’s perspective. Did the children hold back from seeing Jesus or did they run, skip, and scamper to Him? Let’s consider Mark 10:13-16.

     Jesus was in Judea, in this passage. After being tested by the Pharisees about teachings on divorce, a different discussion with Him began. People brought their children to Him for Him to bless them by placing His hands on them. The disciples rebuked these people. At this, Jesus saw and corrected the disciples. He wanted the children to come to Him. Jesus made the children an example for adults. In a society where children had no power or say in life, Jesus placed them on a pedestal as a teaching model. This pointed out children are important. Jesus made sure the people who listened to Him and those who would hear and read about His words and actions later would recall this point about salvation. He told the people the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like children (vs 14). He did not say it only belongs to or is for children, but people like them. Did this mean people who are full of energy, weepy, needy, quiet, humble, trusting, sincere, welcoming, or accepting? Yes, Jesus calls all people to receive salvation. He specifically told what He meant with this statement by His comment in verse fifteen. He said people must receive the kingdom of God like a child. The kingdom of God belongs to children, and only those people who receive it like a child may enter it.

     The definition of “receiving” helps us understand what Jesus meant when He said a person must receive the kingdom of God like a child. “Receive” comes from the Greek word dechomai. Dechomai means to receive in a warmly welcoming and receptive way. Whenever someone gives anything to another person, two actions occur, giving and the receiving. Receiving cannot occur without giving, but that does not mean every person receives each thing given to them. Jesus taught, in this passage, that the children actively received in their innocence and simplicity what He offered. They did not stand back and question what Jesus would want from them, what motives He had, if He attached strings, and why they should receive it from Him. Most children happily and actively accept gifts given to them. In their innocence and trust, they actively welcome gifts into their lives. In this passage, Jesus said people must receive the gift of salvation and eternal life He gives with welcoming and active acceptance.

      Like a coin, receiving involves another actor–the Giver. No one can receive anything if nothing is given. Like a child actively and warmly receives a gift with innocence and simplicity, a giver of a gift must actively pass to another person what he or she wants to give. In this case, Jesus said God gives His kingdom to people who are like children (vs 15). If nothing is offered, nothing can be received. Still, if something is offered, it does not have to be received. People, being wary of receiving something for nothing for fear the price will take away their freedom, often choose not to receive a gift. They do not trust the giver and sometimes the gift. People often lack this trust and faith in the Giver, and they will not accept the gift Jesus offers to them.

      In these verses, Jesus raised people’s perception of children. Their innocence, simplicity, and greater willingness to act, set them apart as the best example at that moment to show the response needed for people to become children of God. God, the Giver of salvation and life in His kingdom, offers this gift to each person. Jesus made the point each person must actively accept the gift. To be an active receiver, a person should be like a child who warmly and with trusting faith accepts God’s gift of cleansing from sins and eternal life. Each person who accepts a gift actively participates in the transaction with the giver. For righteousness and eternal life with God, a person must actively join with God in receiving by faith what He offers because of His grace and love. This gift requires a high level of self-involvement from the recipient. When both sides of this transaction occur, blessing happens. The greatest blessing of any person’s life occurs, a restored relationship with God.

      Will you be childlike and respond to God calling to you to accept His gift? Will you warmly receive what He offers you-cleansing from sins and a place in His kingdom for eternity? God keeps knocking at the door to give us the gift of His grace and love. You need only open the door and let Him in to give you a place in His kingdom. Life for us should be about having righteous relationships with God and other people. Life as a child of God is about receiving His gifts with trusting faith. Life as His child is a blessing. 

What keeps you from having the trusting, innocent faith of a child?

Give that to God and ask Him to give you faith.

Faith is a gift from God for everyone who asks.

Desire of My Heart

 

“Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17 [NASB])

Jesus spoke to the rich man (the rich, young ruler) who sought to be closer to God. This wealthy man asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Notice a couple things in this passage. The man recognized who Jesus is. Jesus recognized the desire in the man’s heart and what kept him from absolute surrender to God.

Jesus asked why he called Him good; only God is good. He noticed this man recognized God in Him. People who do good things or teach well are not inherently good. Goodness comes as a gift from God to those who are in a relationship with Him. For the rich man to call Jesus good meant He saw God in Him. This man saw Jesus’ relationship with the Father. A person can only have a relationship with holy God when he or she is holy. No person is holy innately. Each person sins and falls short of God’s glory, His holiness (Romans 3:23). God will not be around unrighteousness. Like darkness and light cannot exist in the same place, holiness and sin cannot exist in the same place. This rich man recognized Jesus’ holiness, His absolute goodness, which comes from being part of the triune Godhead. He called Him good.

Another thing we should notice is Jesus looked at the rich man, his external dress, which proclaimed his wealth, and his heart, which had kept God’s Ten Commandments. The man did everything he knew God wanted but still recognized he did not have the relationship with God his heart desired and was not innately good. Jesus understood these things about the rich man and recognized the one thing he had not given or acknowledged as coming from God, the gift God had given him, his wealth. Many people who have a gift from God forget they did not earn the benefits of that gift by themselves. God gave them the ability. For this rich man of Mark 10, God gave him the mind to create and steward wealth. This means God gave him the wealth since He gave him the ability to become wealthy and steward it wisely.  Jesus met the rich man at this point in his relationship with God. This rich young man had kept the Commandments. He sought God. The rich man strove to be closer to God. Yet, when Jesus explained the thing that kept him from his desired closeness to Him, the man hung his head in sorrow. He refused to give up his wealth to be closer to God. This rich man had not come to the place in his spiritual growth to recognize or be willing to recognize God gave and would continue to provide for him after he gave back to God what He had given him. God gave the rich man the gift of prosperity. The rich man held onto it as if he owned it since he thought he created it. He was unwilling to recognize his wealth came from God and, therefore, if God asked for its return, he should give it. The rich man was just the steward of God’s wealth for a time.

Jesus acknowledged the rich man saw Him correctly. He has a close relationship with the Father. This rich man recognized Jesus’ holiness and sought the answer to his heart’s desire - how he could have a closer relationship with God. Jesus commended the man. Then, He looked at the man and saw his heart. This rich man had followed the Ten Commandments given by God through Moses. Yet, he truly was not ready to have a relationship with God because He was unwilling to acknowledge from Whom his gifts came and to Whom they ultimately belonged.

Each of us at points in our lives seeks to be closer to God. The nature He put within us when He created us craves closeness with Him. As we seek this closeness, God helps us realize what may stand in our way of having this closeness with Him. Like Jesus, He shows and tells us what we need to give up to have a closer relationship with Him. For some people, God may ask they be willing to work among the homeless. For others, He may ask they give up some of their personal resources. Still others, God may them to join a Bible study or to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. For every person, God asks we give back to Him the gifts He gives to us. These gifts could be the ability to make wealth, be athletic, be a scholar, be organized and a good planner, be a good woodworker, plumber, roofer, gardener, or do whatever is your gifting. Each of these are gifts from God. These gifts are a person’s wealth. Gifts often interfere in our having a close relationship with God. We want to keep them to ourselves because people identify us by these wonderful things we do and are. We like people to acknowledge we are good at something and give us praise and admiration. People’s applause for us is important to our psyche and ego. Until we can give everything to God that He gave us, wealth or any kind of acuity, we will not have a close relationship with Him. These gifts become an idol or god in our minds. The rich man did not want to give to God his personal wealth. He did not recognize it was already God’s, and he was just the steward. This man’s wealth kept him from the closer relationship with God that he wanted God does not give gifts for us to hoard for ourselves, but to serve a purpose in His plans, to bring Him glory, and to draw us and other people closer to Him.

What gift do you have that you refuse to part with so you can be closer to God? What are you hoarding instead of acknowledging as God’s and being His steward? Will you give back to Him for His purposes what He gave to you - wealth, skills, mental acuity, efficiency, organization skills, patience, joy, musical ability, athleticism, and the glory that comes from people because of these? Or, will you keep them for yourself and not refuse the close relationship with God that your heart, mind, and spirit desires? I need to give back to Him the gifts He gave me to use for His purposes (organization, efficiency, and planning skills) instead of allowing them to determine my day and what gets done. What about you?

“Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 [NASB])

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 [NASB])