God Speaks: Gifts

Throughout the Scriptures, from beginning to end, God reveals Himself as a giver of gifts. Moses said of God, “He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.”

Throughout history, thousands of individuals whose primary love language is gifts have been drawn to God because He stands not as a judge to condemn, but as a Father who bestows forgiveness and eternal life to those who will receive His love.

True Joy
The message of Jesus was clear. One of the ways of expressing love to God is by giving gifts to those who need them. It is this truth that deeply motivates followers of Jesus. As one man said to me, “I never feel more joy than when I am giving to others. I feel like this is why God has given to me, and it is the way I can express my love to Him.”

Receiving to Give
How does someone receive God’s gift of love? Some gifts are given indiscriminately by God to everyone, such as the rising and setting of the sun, the gentle rain, spring flowers, and the seasons. God’s abundant gifts to us are yet another expression of His love, and we reflect that love by loving others. We receive the gifts of wisdom, insight, experience, expertise, and material possessions to enrich the lives of other people. God’s gifts are never given because we deserve them; they are given as expressions of His love for us. Thus, our gifts to others are not based upon the person’s performance or what the individual has done for us, but rather flow from our love for the person.

Ministry to Others
In a proper relationship with God, our desire is to receive gifts from Him that will enable us to give to others. Thus a pastor asks for wisdom in shepherding his flock; a parent asks for emotional and physical strength to support his or her children. If we ask for material possessions (which is not discouraged in the Scriptures), it is for the purpose of using them to enhance our ministry to others. Sincere followers of Jesus always ask, “How may I use what God gives me to minister to others?”


There are five love languages. What's yours? Take the 30-second quiz.
Excerpt taken from God Speaks Your Love Language by Dr. Gary Chapman. To find out more about his resources, visit www.fivelovelanguages.com.