“Every good and perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights, who is as unchanging as the shifting shadows.” {James 1:17}
My daughter and her husband bought their first home a little over a year ago. It’s a beautiful home and has unique features that I love. That means the living room and dining room are separated by a double-sided fireplace. Since she has two little girls, she decided to turn the dining room into a play area for them. It’s the perfect setup as the playroom is right off the eat-in kitchen. She can be in the kitchen or living room or nearby while the two girls play.
Whenever you walk into a playroom, you’ll probably see books and toys scattered on the floor. One day, 2-year-old Sera walked through the playground and started pointing out the various books and toys lying around. Every time she pointed, she said, “Grandma gave me this. Grandma gave me this. Grandma gave me this.”
Where we might have only seen a bunch of toys scattered everywhere, she saw the gift Grandma had given her.
My daughter called me and said, laughing. “When your two-year-old child walks around the playground pointing out every item that mom has given him, mom’s love language is giving presents!” That story made me so happy! I’m so happy that Sera remembers the gift I gave her. I’m glad she knows that her grandma loves her so much.
Later that night, as I repeated her words, I felt God challenging me to take this as a larger lesson. God wants His children to see the gifts He has lavished upon them. Similarly, my granddaughter perceived each toy as a gift from someone who loves her. God wants His children to look at their lives and see His gifts sprinkled throughout. From our first breath to the promise of eternal life, our lives are filled with God’s generosity. Every new day, every prayer answered, every unmerited mercy a gift of love from the hand of God. Our God is a giver. God does not only give; that’s him.
Parent’s heart and God’s heart
If you have children or grandchildren, you will understand the feeling of giving presents. Parents and grandparents don’t give gifts because their children earn it; we give gifts because it makes us happy. We notice what interests them, what makes them comfortable, and what makes them feel loved.
When I buy something for my grandchild, it’s not because I have to, but because my heart is full of love. Something inside me wants to express love in tangible ways. I want them to know that they are seen, known, and valued. It is the same motive behind God’s generosity towards us. His giving is rooted in love, not obligation.
Jesus expresses this so beautifully in Matthew 7:9-11.
“If your son asks for bread, who will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will I give him a snake? If you know how to give good gifts to your children, even if you are evil, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.! ”
Even the hearts of the most loving parents and grandparents are only a small reflection of God’s perfect love. We give imperfectly, sometimes with complex motives and limited means. But God fully provides. God’s gifts are always good, always timely, and always for our eternal benefit.
I may give my granddaughter a gift that brings joy, but God gives gifts that have an eternal purpose. God provides grace to sustain us, peace to protect us, and His presence to guide us. He gives us wisdom when we ask, strength when we are weak, and mercy when we fail.
The giver behind every gift
As I pictured my granddaughter walking across that playground, I couldn’t help but think: What if I could learn to live life that way? Instead of rushing through our days, what if we stopped and recognized each blessing as a personal gift from our Heavenly Father?
What if, in my ordinary life, I start whispering things like this?God gave me this. God gave it to me.”
Because the truth is, God does. He gave you the breath you just took. He is the people who love you, the lessons that shape you, and Beauty that surrounds you. Even in seasons of waiting and hardship, God’s gifts are there to get us through lonely and difficult seasons, sometimes in patience, surrender, or grace.
Romans 2:4 reminds us:
“Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
Every good gift is an invitation, an expression of God’s kindness that brings us closer to His heart. When we calm down and realize God’s generosity, gratitude becomes a natural response. And gratitude changes the way we live. It softens our hearts, deepens our faith, and turns our attention from what we feel is missing in our lives to all that God has given us.
reflects the heart of the giver
As the image of a generous God, we are called to reflect His giving nature. However, giving in the Bible is not just about money and material things, but about giving of yourself in love. God’s giving looks like offering time to someone who needs to talk, extending grace when someone fails, sharing encouragement when someone is discouraged or tired, or offering forgiveness when someone makes some sacrifice to let go of sin.
When we give in this way, we are not just imitating God, we are partnering with Him. We become part of God’s continued generosity to those He puts into our lives.
God’s gifts never run out
Sometimes we hesitate to give because we don’t feel like we can afford it or because we feel empty emotionally, spiritually, or spiritually. Physically too. But true generosity does not come from abundance. It springs from grace. God does not ask us to give more than we have, but only to open our hands and hearts and allow His love to flow through us. And as we do so, we discover that God’s generosity never ends.
Every gift from God, from daily provision to answered prayers, points us to the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 reminds us:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.”
That is the heart we give to God. His love language is gifts. Because his very nature is love. He did not give because we got. He did not give because we asked for perfection. He gave out of love. And every good gift we experience in this life is meant to remind us of that ultimate act of love.
let’s pray
Father, thank you for being the ultimate giver. All good things in my life come from you. Help me to see Your gifts sprinkled throughout my days, the small joys, the great blessings, and even the lessons disguised as trials. Teach me to give as you give. With boundless joy, grace, and love that reflects your heart. May we live in gratitude, with open arms, always pointing to You, the Giver of every perfect gift. Amen.
things to think about
When you think about God’s generosity now, what gifts come to mind?How does recognizing God’s daily gifts change the way you approach your day? What are some simple ways you can reflect God’s qualities in others this week?
Gina Smith is a wife of 37 years, mother of two, and grandmother of three. She is a writer and author, and wrote her first published book during the empty nest years. She has a passion for working with young people, encouraging them, strengthening them in God, and learning from them. Gina can be found on her website www.ginalsmith.com and her book Everyday Prayers for Joy can be found wherever books are sold.
