The Giver is Greater Than the Gift

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

James 1:17

Our lives and all we have is a gift from God, and God is infinitely greater than His gifts.  Our flesh is prone to love the gift more than the giver because we naturally treasure ourselves over all others.  When Jesus gave the gift of cleansing and restoration to family and society to 10 lepers who cried out to Him, only one of them returned to even give thanks.  They were pleased to receive cleansing and go their own way, but a Samaritan among them recognised the greatness of the Jesus who cleansed him and glorified God with thanks.

During my life I have been blessed to receive many gifts from loving, thoughtful and generous people.  I don't know that anyone has been more blessed than me by God's grace shown through immediate and extended family, friends and the body of Christ, the church.  In some cases, I received tools and possessions from my grandfathers and my dad before they passed away.  The generous gifts they gave me--even the intangible ones--cannot compare with them as people.  Having them around would be more precious and valuable than antique tools and rare artefacts that sit in my garage or on a shelf.  It is easy to see people we love are far greater than any gift they could give, even as the altar is greater than a gift offered on it.

In the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son, it could be said the younger son who demanded his inheritance loved the monetary gift more than his father who granted his request.  In the story, the wayward son had the opportunity to return to his father after he wasted his inheritance, and this is the opportunity God extends to all people as long as we live on earth.  The temporal things God gives us can be wasted, stolen or be parted from us, yet we can return to the LORD who was, is and will always be.  God who has given us life on earth provides the promise of eternal life to all who trust in Him, and His presence is a most generous gift which will never be withdrawn from His redeemed, beloved children.

The gifts which can mean so much to us were all provided by a giver who ought to be more precious and valued in our eyes than anything we have received.  The greatest of all givers is God, for every good and perfect gift is from Him--and He never changes.  I have with gratitude received gifts from people I have not spoken to in many years because their view of me has changed for whatever reason; our relationship is not close as it once was.  But God is never far from those who seek Him, for Jesus has promised He will never leave or forsake us.  The giver is greater than the gift, and may we continue to return to God with thankful hearts for all He gives.