Receiving More than You Give

 When you're a kid and you are fed with the line "it is better to give than to receive" it may make you roll your eyes or something like that.  At that stage in your life you tend to want things and that is all you care about...What's in it for me?  I remember not being too willing to help out or go with my mom to the nursing home to visit a lady.  Those weren't fun, they didn't make a difference in my day or life.  

However, something changed when I got a little bit older.  Thinking back, as I write this, one of the memorable times was having a "little brother" through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.  I was a freshman in college and I don't know what prompted me to do it.  Sometimes it was difficult finding 3 hours a week to spend with him.  However, most of the time we spent together was very enjoyable and definitely rewarding.  That brings us to this week's quote...

Love and kindness are never wasted.  They always make a difference.  They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.  ~ Barbara De Angelis

One particular moment I remember with my "little brother" was when I had taken him to a college football game I was working as a student trainer.  It was probably one of the rainiest nights I had ever been in where I had to be outside.  As the football field slopes, the sidelines had, literally, ankle deep water.  Plus, it was a natural field, so there was a lot of mud.  My "little brother" lived outside the city limits and I had not been to his house (I picked him up in town).  So, being nervous about getting stuck, I wondered if he could stay in my dorm room for the night.  All permissions were granted and he had his first experience of college life as an eleven-year old!

Maybe you've had numerous opportunities to give of yourself (time, money, etc.) where you've finished the experience feeling like you received more than the receiver received.  That is the beauty of doing things like that.  From a religious perspective, serving God is much the same way.  You give to Him and what you get is sometimes exponentially more than what you gave.

Keep giving and cashing in on the experiences!




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