We continue this week in our series on The Discipline of Possessions with the second lesson . . .
The second lesson is that things are given us to be received with thanksgiving.
God gives. We receive. Animals do this too, but more directly and simply than we do:
The earth is full of thy creatures . . . beasts great and small . . .
All of them look expectantly to thee
to give them their food at the proper time;
what thou givest them they gather up;
when thou openest thy hand, they eat their fill.
Because God gives us things indirectly, by enabling us to make them with our own hands (out of things He has made, of course), or to earn the money to buy them, or to receive them through someone else’s giving, we are prone to forget that He gave them to us.
“What do you possess that was not given you? If then you really received it all as a gift, why take the credit to yourself?”
The taking of credit becomes an absurdity when we remember that not only the brains, abilities, and opportunities for achievement are gifts, but also the very air we breathe and the ability to draw it into our lungs.
We should be thankful. Thanksgiving requires the recognition of the Source. It implies contentment with what is given, not complaint about what is not given. It excludes covetousness. The goodness and love of God choose the gifts, and we say thank you, acknowledging the Thought Behind as well as the thing itself. Covetousness involves suspicion about the goodness and love of God, and even His justice. He has not given me what He gave somebody else. He doesn’t notice my need. He doesn’t love me as much as He loves him. He isn’t fair.
Faith looks up with open hands. “You are giving me this, Lord? Thank You. It is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The third lesson is that things can be material for sacrifice. . . continued next week!
**Excerpt originally published in Discipline, the Glad Surrender, pp 107-108