Every Good Deed
I remember one day when I was browsing in a store owned by one of our Amish friends. My friend wasn’t in the store at the time, but two of her daughters were working there. I’d gone down to the basement of the store and found some second-hand dresses for sale. I picked out two that I particularly liked and took them to one of the young women to ask how much the dresses cost. “Nothing for you,” she said with a smile. “Mom would want you to have them.”
“Oh, no,” I insisted. “I must pay you something for them.”
She shook her head, took the dresses, and put them in a paper sack. “Take them, please.”
I was tempted to argue further, but I could see by the determined look on her face that she wanted me to have the dresses as a gift. So I smiled and said, “Thank you; I really appreciate this. Tell your mother I said thanks, too.”
As I left the store that day, I was struck with the realization that it’s sometimes easier to give than to receive. However, we miss many blessings if we don’t allow others to give us a gift. When others give to us, we need to be thankful. Believers in Christ have a responsibility to show kindness to others. We also have a responsibility to accept the kindness others show to us. Has someone shown you a kindness this week? What was your response?
You are so very right about this. I think sometimes it is hard for us to receive gifts because on some level we don’t feel “worthy”, but of course we are – we are children of Christ!
This week I was participating in a giveaway online that involved multiple bloggers (mostly quilters), and I began an email correspondence with one blogger who had offered a prize in the giveaway. I didn’t win her prize, and she had entered some of the giveaways herself and hadn’t won. In the course of our email conversations I learned that she liked paper crafts as well, especially card making. I scrapbook, but due to health issues no longer do it much. I have tons of supplies I don’t use that are brand new. I offered to make her a “goody basket” of paper products and send it to her. She was so touched and wanted to offer me something. I explained that I wasn’t doing this to receive something, I just wanted to give her something. She graciously accepted my offer, and I am now in the process of putting together some gifts to send her.
She helped me by accepting my offer. I was feeling very down and like I had no value because of my illness. She made me realize that I needed to look beyond myself, to what I could offer others (not just things of course, but myself as well)! This was a lesson I needed to be reminded of and I grateful for the chance to do something to brighten someone else’s day.
Thank you for your lovely books, and for this post, which also serves as a reminder that we need to be good givers and good receivers if we are to be Christ’s children.
I can say I’ve always been one that finds it hard to accept gifts from others, because I never want to feel like I’m taking advantage of anyone. Now, when it comes to giving, I love giving to others because it makes me feel like I’m bringing others joy. We all know the old saying “It is better to give than to receive,” I do think I need to accept the kindness of others as my blessing. I also think that the older we get in this life, God helps to show us the right path we should follow.
Dearest Wanda,
You sure have this right! As a pastor’s wife and in the years we traveled in our ministry, we felt exactly like you have stated! Sometimes it really was hard to receive good at the hands of others. When we were (and now are again) in a church, where my husband was pastor, we loved and enjoyed giving to others. It was and still is a tremendous blessing to give, but we also have come to realize that if we refuse to receive or have a difficult time receiving, then it may deprive the giver of a blessing. So though we do receive, we feel humbled and know that this comes with the giver also receiving a blessing.
What you have said is so very true. We forget how to recieve something with out having given soemthing. This is true in our own lives. We somethings forget how to recieve something God has
given us. We need to learn how to receive let alone give in our lives. When someone gives something they are also receiving something from that giving. Thank you for reminding us. It is a blessing to give but also a blessing to receive.
I have to agree with you about yards and flowers from my point of view..If I feel a little “down” I go in the yard and just set and watch the birds, squirrels, rabbits and get to feeling much better. We have 9 bird houses up and many feeders and since we live in the woods we see lots of wild life but we love it all. Even the black bears that surprise us once in awhile has their beauty. We take our feeders in every night because of Mr or Mrs. Bear as they do love to break things up. ha sue Leech
You are right Wanda, it is more Blessed to give than receive.
I agree it is easier to give than receive! This past Sunday a member of our church presented to me some starts of perennials for my garden. She wouldn’t think of accepting money for them so after expressing my appreciation, next Sunday I will present her and her husband with one of my homeade coconut cream pies they love.
We don’t realize the small things we are able to do to help make someone feel better, for an example, yesterday while waiting in the long grocery line, I motioned to two other ladies to get in front of me so they could be next waited on. One was dressed in nursing scrubs, undoubtably wanting to get home from her work as the other. They both were very surprised but accepted and each one took the time after her purchases to stop and thank me for lettng them go in front. Even though I was tired afer an afternoon of test at the hospital and needing to get home myself, it made me feel better to do some small act of kindness. So , we reap what we sow,,,, I feel the same goes for driving. I would rather wait and let some other driver have the right of way. Who knows, maybe they in turn will “pay it forward”.
Wanda, I have to agree with you wholeheartedly I grew up in a foster home that was doing it for the money, We were used around the area for cleaning,doing things that others didn’t want to do they would call and my foster dad always said yes. We’d go and when we were done they would say good by..One day i was helping this older lady i was 13 and she gave me a pair of earrings i had helped her out all the time with her husband well i went over to her husband and told him thank you, Then one year at Christmas time a social worker showed up and she had a stocking for all of us with our names on them . I was so happy and both of those gifts I still have and it is 52 years later. They were given from the heart and I took them in my heart ,even though life then was worse than terrible for many reasons I made sure my 2 kids knew how precious gifts big or small are and always remember those gifts as they are put in the heart forever
It is so very true that giving is easier than receiving. Often, we do not feel worthy! If everyone gave, there would be no one to receive. In my everyday life, I am quick to give, but I do find it very difficult to receive help or gifts of any kind. I was always made to “stand on my own.”
As I get older, I have to accept the fact that many times I have to receive whether it is in the form of a gift, or in the form of help.
Due to many health problems, I have had to rely on different people. I have come to realize that if they did not want to help, they would no be there!
It is so hard some times recieve stuff given to you from other people.
You wonder what you will have to for them.
Receiving a gift can make us feel important, loved, or like a charity case. It is all up to the spirit of the giver. When God’s love and unselfish motivates are behind a gift, it offers two rewards. To the giver and the recipient. I believe one of the easiest gifts to gift, is the gift of time followed by gifts of our talents. The gifts we give which teach us the most are ones we struggle most to give. For me that would being preparing the dead for burial. Very hard for me to do, but the reward of giving a final service to someone exceed, my issues of preforming the action.
Wanda, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your experience in the Amish store. I know it’s difficult sometimes to receive a gift when we feel we should do something in return, in your case, paying for the dresses you had chosen. The gift of those dresses was given out of love, and you did the right thing by accepting them graciously. I have received gifts in this manner as well, and my tendency is to feel guilty about accepting the gift without stating that I need to pay for it. I have to remember that the giver is offering something from the heart with no strings attached. All I need to do is say “thank you!” I have given many gifts myself without expectations, so I think it’s time I start accepting them graciously too!
This past week I have taken life for graten thats for sure…. My best’s friend did something so small and simple but it might the whole world to me she left me a diet coke and snickers bar and a card telling me it’s going to be ok. I called her the other day crying about a sitution in my life that is not good and the next day she came and left me that in my mall box. God bless us in so many different ways we just forget to look for them and thank him for it to.
Tressa
I realized this more than ever after the horrible tornado that went through our city on April 27, 2011. It wiped away almost a 3rd of our city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Working at a church at the time as a secretary, I was “blown away” (pardon the pun) by the generosity of others. The church gym filled up almost overnight with items people were donating to those in need. Brand new items of clothing, blankets, towels, every kind of food item you could imagine, among other things. The opened hearts of the donators were blessed as well as those that received, if not more.
I love the way you think. I always say sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug, but we all have a part to play in life. Many times it is harder to be helped than to be he helper, but we have to submit to God’s will in all things. Sometimes the lesson is not for you about being helped it’s for someone else to learn about helping!
Psst, Wanda! Enter me in the contest. I would love to make my grandchildren fans too. 😉
you are truly blessed to have good friends like that there arent too many good kind ppl on this earth and you know what love can go around you can see it and feel it with your friend isnt it grand that that there is love to go around it can come at you ten times fold and cup runneth over smiles know what i mean ? there is a saying from a song or verse or book dont rmember where but they say put a little love in your heart when you have god you have love !!!!! amen to that !
It was so moving to read your story about being in the store. I have been blessed many times by the goodness of others and I enjoy giving myself. I bake and decorate cakes. I am only learning, but I enjoy doing them. I make the birthday cake for an assisted living in the area where I live. They always tell me how they appreciate it, but I believe that I receive the greater blessing. I love reading about the Amish way of life and thank you for that opportunity by reading your books. They are a great enjoyment! Make God continue to bless you and yours. I would like to be entered in the contest. I would like for my granddaughters and grandson to receive the enjoyment that I have.
My mother did some of my housework for me,I was
thankful for that.As I been busy lately. God Bless!! Abbie
Yes Wanda. I believe when you are blessed by others than you can go out and be a blessing too and pass it on. Today I received not a material gift, but the gift of helping. A sweet lady from our church told me she is going to be my helper at Vacation Bible School this summer. I am so blessed as our church is experiencing a shortage of helpers this year. We are all doing our best for Him. We all need to be His heart, hands and feet.
I am currently a stay at home mom. My husband and I are always too proud to ask for help. His sisters are very giving people and we usually have a hard time accepting gifts from them. Yesterday, one sister brought four packs of diapers for my kids. The look on her face and the excitement of bringing something and getting it on clearance. I don’t like that she felt she needed to spend money on my kids. Then again, I know if I didn’t accept it, she would be hurt. So I did accept and told her thank you. My husband, our children and I are so blessed for our family.
What a wonderful journal entry! I am an in-home daycare provider. I most recently had a little boy move out of state with his family. I had really became attached to this little boy and his family. They were always so kind, respectful and appreciative. As a goodbye gift to them, I stayed up many hours over a week’s time to put together a digital scrapbook of his time in my childcare. His parents were absolutely touched by it. (I bawled while I was creating it!). They did not give me a parting gift, but something better! A hand-written letter of their thoughts, feelings, and gratitude right from their hearts. I have printed it out and will pull it out when I need a pick-me-up!
Hi Wanda,
I learned this lesson years ago when I was first married and lived down the street from my Mother’s parents. My Grandmother would call me on occasion asking me to go to the local ice cream shop and get her a grilled cheese for her lunch. I always felt bad taking her money, which at that time was about $1.25 for the sandwich, but after talking to my Mom about this she said I needed to be gracious and allow my Grandmother to pay for the sandwich and also to accept any tip she might give. I saw was I was doing for my Grandma in a whole new light and was richly blessed for doing this small chore.
I couldn’t agree more! I am one that has a hard time receiving. I was raised to “work for what you want.” However, someone told me several years ago, “Don’t mess up someone else’s blessing my not accepting their gift.” I’ve worked really hard at being a better receiver, but it is still hard sometimes. Just last week I watched a friend’s kids, three of them, for the last two 1/2 days of school and on the last day she gave me a check. I told her I didn’t want anything that I was doing it to help her out. She would have nothing of it and I said, “Do you need me to watch them next week?” She replied, “Not if you don’t take this check!” See, I’m still learning! ☺
I know folks who give and give but don’t want to receive anything from anyone. I can’t figure out why they do this since it’s obvious that they know the joy it brings to give to others.
Hi Wanda: Have so much enjoyed reading your books that I have ordered from you. We live in South Dakota and only have access to them at our Wal-Mart Store but not the ones that are autographed by you, thank you so much.
The last book I read was White Christmas Pie and it is so good you don’t lay it down so I am looking forward to reading some of the other ones I have here. Snow stormy days we look forward to so we can sit and read.
Thanks again,
Karen Cook
i feel it’s always nice to give but it’s so hard for me revise thing i have been that way every long time i always thought i was not wother to get any thing i felt that way even as a child i still do when my hubby busy me stiff for hoildays our what ever i always failt there a something they what from me that’s way its so hard for me god bless happy writing keep up the great work your doing praying for u and your family
Hello. I am new here, but read this entry and thought…it’s true that it’s fun to give of abundance to others who like or need them. The interesting thing is that sometimes what we want to give isn’t what someone needs at the time we are able to give. So that you had picked the dresses out gave them a clear vision of what they could gift to you. We don’t always do that either, give others a way they can share with us. Kind of interesting. I was just reading about that in the devotional thoughts from amish country book you wrote … the lady who stoped by to visit her neighbor and asked for one thing and was more than willingly given more than she has hoped for by sharing one need with her friend. We are told to share our burdens and blessings with eachother, though please don’t ask me to quote exactly where in scripture it talks of these things, I am certain it’s bible authority to do so. *smile* Thank you for sharing your experience with all of us. Go in peace knowing the Father is alive and living today. Sincerely, Mommy of two growing blessings & so much more!
I recently was at the hospital waiting for my grandmother to get out of surgery, while in the cafeteria I got a scoop of ice cream for my mom. The Debit machine went down and I had no cash. A hospital employee behind me paid for the ice cream, so my mom who has cancer could have her ice cream. I was very thankful and decided to just say Thank you and except her kindness.
I once read that when we do not receive or refuse another’s gift graciously, we may be taking away their joy or blessing in giving. The most gracious action is to say thank you.
As I started out on my travel back from going to another state to care for my parents I stopped at the usual station to buy fuel. I saw a black lady standing there a few feet from my car. Then she scared me by knocking on my window and asked if I could help her. I unfortunately have a distrust of strangers and told her I didn’t know. She then replied that she and her babies had not eaten in 3 days and could not purchase food till another 3 days had passed. I don’t usually give money out, but for some reason that day I did. The strange thing was that I had thought to get fuel the day before I was going to leave, but I put it off. I think that it was for a reason and the reason was that lady. My heart was light as I left the station and I took that lady as a sign from God that my parents were going to be okay for a while.
Too many times we turn from people in need out of distrust , selfishness or other reasons. I learned a lesson that day……..it is truly more blessed togive than receive.