Daring to Receive

I can imagine God asking,
"Why didn't you let me help?"

In a piece entitled "Daring to Receive" my spiritual hero Henri Nouwen challenges us to be good receivers.  He writes, "When someone gives us a watch but we never wear it, the watch is not really received. When someone offers us an idea but we do not respond to it, that idea is not truly received. When someone introduces us to a friend but we ignore him or her, that friend does not feel well received."  

If you are being honest with yourself, do you see places in your life where you fail to truly receive others? Maybe someone offers to hold the door, or help you with something at work. Instead of welcoming their help, do you say something to the effect of, "Oh, that's alright. I've got it."  I do it not to be rude or ungracious, but instead to be humble...or at least seem that way. Nouwen points out that this kind of humility isn't as good as we might think. Instead, it can actually be a bit damaging to the other person. ​

I have a friend who loves to help. And for the longest time I didn't want it. Too often than not it was more of a bother and an inconvenience. I remember one evening, while cleaning up after my son's birthday party, I was bringing in a stack of chairs. Four chairs to be exact, each perfectly balanced on one another. ​

​Yes, they were heavier than I thought, and a bit awkward to carry...but  I had it. My friend, being the kind person he is, rushed to "help" me. And instead of allowing him to ease my burden, I shifted my body to avoid him. As a result the chairs toppled this way and that, and as I tried to regain my balance one chair went crashing through our kitchen window. I was livid, but being "humble" I didn't let it show (too much). My friend looked at me and simply said, "Why didn't you let me help."

​I often think of God in that moment. Asking the same question: "Why didn't you let me help."  So many times we think that we can handle a situation, or do it on our own. And in many cases we can. But then there are those times when we are balancing too much and yet we forget to accept the help that is always there.  

In Psalm 121, King David sings, "Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord..."

Jesus said, "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that my Father may be glorified in the Son. IF in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. (John 14:13-14 NRSV). That's a pretty powerful promise, as well as a action we could all put to good use.

Whether it's little things or big major things, God is always available to lend a hand, bring us comfort, walk us through it, lead the way, or reassure us. All we have to do is ask.

Nouwen concludes, "Receiving is an art. It means allowing the other to become part of our lives. It means daring to become dependent on the other. It asks for the inner freedom to say: "Without you I wouldn't be who I am." Receiving with the heart is therefore a gesture of humility and love. So many people have been deeply hurt because their gifts were not well received."

To his point, Let us be good receivers. Especially when those gifts come from God.