Faith on Clearance: Hope in Learning to Receive

by Alecia Klauk
(Chapin, SC)

"You look lovely today. I love your dress."
Oh, this old thing. I got it on clearance.
Interpretation: don't be impressed.

"Your children are so well behaved and sweet."
You should see them at home; they have their moments.
Interpretation: don't expect much.

"You really seem to have a close relationship with God."
Yeah, well, you don't live with me.
Interpretation: don't think too highly.

Why do we do that? Why is it that we can't just graciously say "thank you" when we are given a compliment or a kind word? Why do we feel such a strong need to brush it off, let it bounce, not receive it into our hearts?

Are we afraid that by receiving even some small measure of kindness that we are thinking too much of ourselves? Are we afraid of feeding pride? Do we think we are agreeing with the compliment if we don't negate it in some way?

I think so. I think especially as women we want to be so careful about how we relate to people. On large measure, that is a good thing. Pride is a huge enemy of ministry, of everything really, and we ought to expend energy to fight it. That is good.

What is not good is when we do that with God. What do I mean? I think that at times we hear that still, small voice beckoning us with kindness, and we treat Him like we do those niceties. We brush Him off and think,

"Oh, that's nice, but not really true, so I won't let it sink in."

"You have to say that to everyone, so it doesn't really mean much to me."

"I'm not sure I trust You anyway, so I'll keep everything superficial and not allow Your words to penetrate my feeble little heart."

Interpretation: the love and acceptance we crave, the very thing we need to fuel the hope we long for, we reject. Just like the nice churchy sentiment, we let words of life slip right over our heads.

We keep even the "I love you" at a superficial level and do not allow His love and kindness to sink in to a deep place in our souls. The problem is that it is that very thing, His kindness received deep in our hearts, that will change us. It is there that hope lies.

Like a compliment on a new outfit, we need to pull our faith off the clearance rack, quit brushing it off, and just learn to say "thank you."

We need to learn to receive.

Try this to really get this point. Have someone throw a ball to you but do not reach out to catch it. Let it bounce off of you. You will have accepted the ball. Then, do it again, but deliberately catch the ball. Then you will have received the ball. Big difference. Merely accepting the truths God offers to mend your brokenness is not enough to effect abiding change.

We must learn to receive. So how we do that with God?

The answer lies in the words of Jesus. The disciples asked Him in John 6:28 what they needed to do to do the works of God. Jesus answered very simply that they needed to "believe in the one He has sent."

Ok, to believe in Jesus is to believe in the things He says, right? And that would also imply that we need to believe the whole of Scripture, since "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). We need to believe all of what He says. We need to believe His words of kindness, invitation, acceptance, grace, mercy, love.

We need to receive. Receive what? Truth. Truth we assume belongs to someone else. Truth we brush off. Truth we need to find hope. Need some examples?

Zeph. 3:17 - He delights over you with singing.
Ps. 45:11 - The King is enthralled with your beauty.
Jer. 29:11 - He knows the plans He has for you.
Rom. 8:28 - He works all things together for good.
John 14:18 - He won't leave you.
Rom. 8:35 - Nothing can separate you from His love.
Is. 40:28 - He gives strength to the weary.
Phil. 1:6 - He will complete the good work He started.
Ps. 34:18 - He is close to the brokenhearted.

These barely scratch the surface of all the promises of love and safety and acceptance in the Word of God. Oh, and by the way, if you doubt these verses, go grapple with Num. 23:19 and be confronted with the truth that God cannot lie. There is no disputing truth or the Author of Truth. Remember, He doesn't just tell the truth. He IS the Truth!

So challenge your heart to drink deeply of the love of God for you. Don't keep Him at arm's length in your heart. Don't brush off mercy. Don't let love bounce off. Stop. Breathe. Inhale deeply of truth and find great hope. Allow the promises of Scripture to penetrate the hidden places. Be amazed at the work it will accomplish, the hope it will bring, the peace it will create.

I don't let people get away with the compliment bounce-off. If they try, I will stop the conversation and say, "You didn't hear me. You need to ABSORB!" It's become a joke a bit, as I say with a long drawn out drawl, A-B-S-O-R-B!!! But there's a lot of truth in there.

Today, right now, stop your life for a bit and ABSORB. Let truth sink in. Soak up His goodness. Don't allow the life-giving truth of God's Word skip off your soul like a rock on a pond. When you allow it to sink in, truth will change your heart and become a wellspring of hope.

Oh, and when someone gives you a compliment, just say "thank you." It's good practice.

Dear One, A-B-S-O-R-B!

Watch for Part 2 of this column ... I'll address an important component of receiving: exposure.