Rhythms:: Giving

I have often heard it said that, it is better to give than to receive. 

Pffffffft. Sounds like someone who's never received a go-kart to me. 

In all seriousness, I've really struggled with the concept that giving to others is better than receiving. Now, this isn't because I think that receiving is better, but rather that they are both equally difficult. Receiving something that is truly fulfilling, even for a moment, requires people around me to be so in tune with my current wants and desires that they meet it. That's a huge task and it can often lead to forced smiles and pretending to love something when you are still trying to decide what it is. 

Similar concerns exist when it comes to giving. Have you ever put a bunch of thought and effort into giving a gift you felt someone would love and watch it fall completely flat? It is a defeating feeling of not communicating the feelings of love and care you had in selecting the gift in a way they could receive. 

This Sunday we want to look at giving and unpack the differences between giving with expectations and without expectations. The prayer is that we can be the kind of people who can give freely and engage a rhythm that encourages health within the giver, regardless of how the receiver responds