I've been thinking lately about unlikely gifts. Paul was given a thorn. I'm still trying to wrap my mind and heart around just what that means, but this article on Gifts, misunderstood, though written to challenge me to wisely give my heart to sharing with others, does get me thinking about God's choices for me...
If God is the Giver of "every good and perfect gift" (James 1:17) why does He allow thorns? In the above-linked blog, Seth Godin proposes, "The way I understand gifts is that the giver must make a sacrifice, create an uneven exchange, bring himself closer to the recipient, create change and do it all with the right spirit." If measured by sacrifice, there is no doubt that God is the greatest Giver, even when I don't always understand or appreciate the gifts He prepares for me.
I'm still thinking, sifting, sorting, praying. What are your thoughts on the gift of thorns?
2 comments:
If a gift is something that costs the giver, God giving a thorn costs him greatly. how much it must cost him to see us in pain or in confusion or wallow in unbelief! The gist of a thorn is one that causes all of these things, but he does it to accomplish something of greater worth.
Great insight, Sarah! "God giving a thorn costs him greatly." Even more for me to ponder...
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