Should we receive gifts or not?

[Leonardo Von]

Should we receive gifts or not?

•    Pro 17:8 -> “A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.”.

To answer this question, let’s analyze the following verses:

•    Exo 23:8 -> “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.”
•    Pro 17:23 -> “A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.”.

Most of the people make use of gifts in order to pervert the justice and truth. And the worst is that this makes people into blind to Jesus and His teachings (see this in Mat 28:11-15).

It’s obvious that, those who make use of bribe, prosper wherever they go (once, unfortunately, it always will exist someone who is bribable). Nonetheless, the curse will reach both, those who bribe and receive bribe:

•    Pro 15:27 -> “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.”.

On the other hand, when the gift comes from the Creator and led by His direction, this can make room for Jesus to carry out His salvation and who is being used by Jesus can, then, find their room in the heart of the person:

•    Pro 18:16 -> “A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”.
•    Luk 16:9 -> “And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”.

The gift is so important that, for thrice the Creator demanded that people only approached of Him with some gift:

•    Exo 23:15  -> “Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)”.
•    Exo 34:20 -> “But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.”.
•    Deu 16:16 -> “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:”.

We need to be careful about gifts. After all:

•    Pro 19:6 -> “Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.”.

In the end, what kind of friend are we getting? When people get in touch with us, what they are seeking? In other words, what are they seeing in us?

Therefore, have a good day filling yourself only of the good and perfect gifts which come from the Creator (James 1:16,17; Eph 1:3; 2Pe 1:3) and hearing His voice so that you can invest them in a way that will be very profitable for you and Jesus’ kingdom (Luke 19:12,13; Mat 25:14,15).

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