Giving and Learning to Receive

When I resigned from the comforts of my office job and was awaiting the settlement of buying my first truck, things came to a thud one day. I needed a quick $3,000 cash to take me over this month of transition. I had no job and no income so I had no credit rating, even though we owned our family home.

How humbling. No cashflow. That dented my ego.

I mentioned it in front of a young plumber mate, not thinking for one moment that he would be able to help me out of my dilemma. Something happened I could never forget.

My friend had a chat to his wife and they came to our rescue. They produced the $3,000 cash and gave it to me without condition other than love. This was a huge moment in my life.

They didn’t preach to me about giving. They showed me, and that’s the way for a man to learn. Initially I felt smashed in my pride and ego to have to admit that I was desperate and needed money from someone I’d only known for a short time.

We paid the money back quickly but the lesson was fantastic. It helped me in becoming a champion. It humbled me but I have never forgotten this act of giving. Since then, I haven’t had any problems passing on the giving gesture many times.

I needed to learn to receive so that I knew how to give.

They also gave me a wall hanging that I told you about before. It’s got a picture of a fantastic old shed in a paddock, with the wording along the bottom ‘My God will supply all your need according to his riches in glory’ – another gem from the Work Manual.

I have lived by the words of this plaque to this day. My blessings have never been found wanting. I believe it and it has worked for me. Hope it helps you.

There have been times when money and possessions can be, and have been, my god. I was conditioned growing up that man had to work hard, and acquire and stash up the cash.

But later I learned to put the Creator first, knowing it’s really all his. That put money in its right place.

Unless you are a ‘robber’ – and you’ll eventually get caught! – do it God’s way and you’ll make more and have peace in your head.

Can you give away something you don’t need or like anymore? That type of giving doesn’t cause any pain. What if you had to give away your best shirt and kept the old one and had to wear it a bit longer? Could you give your seat at the footy to someone else without telling anyone about it? That’s a challenge!

Give until your pocket aches, and the real-deal bloke you were created to be will emerge.