Ugly Candles and All God Is Due

I don't recall how old I was when I began thinking about Christmas in terms of buying gifts for others. I do remember thinking that was what Christmas was about --giving-- and I wanted to be a part of that. Was it selfless? Was it a way of fitting in? I'm not sure, but I do remember a hideous Santa Claus candle I "purchased" for my mother. I place "purchased" in quotes, because when I think of that candle, there is something about it that brings to mind someone, perhaps even my mother herself, giving me the money to buy it. Such is the life of a child. No income. No possessions except those given to them by a higher, benevolent source. You might call it poverty.

In Mark 10:15, Jesus tells us:

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.

Impoverished, trusting our Father to give us whatever we need. Is that even possible? It's not only possible, it's necessary. Remember that hideous candle? Whoever was kind enough to give me the money for that candle was teaching me. The candle was so ugly, I remember it fifty+ years later, and the lesson was so effectual it outweighs the ugliness of the candle: giving is important, but so is receiving. 

C.S. Lewis, in his book, Mere Christianity says:

Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God.

If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already. So that when we talk of a man doing anything for God or giving anything to God, I will tell you what it is really like. It is like a small child going to its father and saying, "Daddy, give me sixpence to buy you a birthday present.” 

Hardly the sacrifice we associate with giving, but what father wouldn't hand over the sum? The child's request is sweet, endearing. His heart has been developed to give. But the thing I find equally important is that the child's heart has been developed to receive. The child knows Daddy has supply. The child knows Daddy will supply. The child not only knows where supply is located (in Daddy) but knows to ask. As adults we see the humor in the situation; but the child has no concept of it: the child is single-minded in obtaining what he needs in order to follow the compulsions of his heart. He awaits his father's generosity with confidence, both hands cupped so as to catch every cent.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:19

As grown-ups, we are the fools. We not only have a problem with receiving, of being dependent --even admitting that we have cause to depend-- on our Creator, but we have a problem understanding the true meaning of needs. We tend to think of need in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Those things are important, but great explorers, teachers, servants, inventors, Christians, grew up begging for a crust of bread, grew up without a home or with threadbare clothes. What does a child really need? Someone who loves them enough to teach them: morals, good character, the Golden Rule, who Jesus is and what He has done. And their hearts need to be softened, made teachable, in order to receive the lessons so important to their growth. Adults should be equally as ready to receive not just the things we want --gas in the truck, money to pay the taxes, food in the cupboard (all very important) --but we must be prepared to receive what we need: lessons in morality, good character, relationships, who Jesus is and what He has done. What is that old proverb? Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime? Jesus teaches those who seek Him how to fish! He hands over the sixpence or whatever for the ugly candle that we might learn to depend on Him, to trust Him when He says No, and to take part in all the things He is doing in this world. Jesus gives soft hearts, teachable spirits, that we might learn and develop His character, and in doing so, give Him His due.

We have nothing to give the One who has given us everything. But if we are willing to receive with a humble spirit, we will receive it all. We will, like a child, approach our Father in confidence, with singleness of mind, hands cupped, unwilling to allow a thing to slip by, and we will receive what He appropriates in His time. It will be all we need. And it will be all we can give.