The Love in Givenness

The Love in Givenness

The happiness of givenness is a balm that works its healing even days and weeks later, and givenness does not define or prove our value but lets us feel the defining value of love. Givenness changes our body because we become part of His Body. And we are even fed communion through our own brokenness. Maybe even in any of our misguided motives of givenness, even then, we are guided back to communion to reap the benefits of love.

And the one who gives a drink of water will receive water. — Proverbs 11:25 HCSB

There’s this elixir in the veins, and giving is always the greatest, the most beautiful of all, because maybe giving is the shape of what love is — cruciform.

Love gives.

Love must give to the beautiful people in the backstreets of wherever our feet land, beautiful people living near us and sitting across from us and streaming by us, and no matter what anyone’s saying, everyone’s just asking if they can be loved.

Love gives and every smile says, Yes, you are loved.

Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back — given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. — Luke 6:38 MSG

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After I give a box of chocolates to the nurses up on the pediatric floor, I turn to the Farmer and say it slowly to him, “For an introvert feeling messy and broken and battling the edge of depression, it takes ridiculous stores of courage to keep reaching out, to break out of your comfort zone and give like this.”

But look at what Christ did!

Maybe — maybe there’s a Comforter who holds us gently in our brokenness… which is very different from a comfort zone that’s a death trap to break us.

And the art of really living may just involve figuring out that difference.

Excerpted with permission from Be the Gift by Ann Voskamp, copyright Ann Voskamp.

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Love gives. Love pours out. Love reaches, and stretches, and breaks comfort zones. Love heals. Come and share your thoughts with us on our blog. We would love to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily