Givers & Takers
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.” Matthew 16:13-17
It is often said that the world consists of givers and takers. Many of us likely perceive ourselves as givers rather than takers, and I believe this to be generally accurate. However, it is important to recognize that while some individuals can be distinctly categorized as takers, there exists a subset of people who identify as givers but may unknowingly exhibit taker behaviors. That can be a challenge as few people wish to be perceived in such a manner. If you know someone in this situation, you might consider sharing the "kind truth" with them. Kind in that you are not looking to harm them but to point out examples that might help them see the truth. This brings me to what I learned at church this week.
A challenging question was asked that had me think about who Jesus Christ is in my life. It simply asked about how we see God. Is He a savior, a forgiver, or a king? While it is acknowledged that He embodies all these roles, the intent of the question was to reflect on one's perspective. Viewing Him as a forgiver implies seeing Him as one who corrects wrongdoings and loves unconditionally despite transgressions. Seeing Him as a savior means perceiving Jesus as one who frees individuals from various forms of bondage, including pain, guilt, and sin, thereby restoring joy. These aspects are attributed to Christ, and this view is both humbling and one where we give thanks to Him.
Yet, recognizing Jesus as a king demands time, respect for His authority, and deference to His will. Many may perceive this as a test that necessitates choosing between different aspects of His identity. However, this is a misconception; it is not a matter of either or. Jesus Christ embodies all these attributes, and our role is to embrace them wholeheartedly. The challenge lies in accepting the Messiah aspect, as it compels us to give of ourselves rather than receive. As followers of Christ, we must not overlook that acknowledging Him requires us to give generously in response to the grace we have received. This does not imply balancing the equation or matching His gifts, but it does entail dedicating ourselves entirely to Him. Understanding what it means to give to Him is a personal journey, informed by each word of God, sermons we hear, and wisdom shared by fellow Christians.
So, this now begs the question for you. Where does Jesus fall in the hierarchy? Is He a savior, forgiver, or king? If He is all of these, which aspect do you need to embrace today? Which have you neglected? My prayer is each of us look at ourselves and determine who much we need of Christ as well as how much we need to give to Him. Amen.