Get practiced at good receiving this Advent

By Rev. Tom Woodward
November 30, 2002

Christmas is a time for giving. Given the sales and search for bargains, we spend incredible amounts of energy getting the right gift and cards selected. We have been conditioned to begin before Thanksgiving preparing the things that we are to give to others. When I think of giving, I realize that I am centering my life on myself and how I will appear to others.

I have begun to think this year about receiving. To receive something from another person is to tune out what you want and desire to receive the person who is giving to you. I am choosing to be more receiving this year because it seems the best way I can connect with others and share life with them. When I am receiving the words and presence of others, I feel there are bonds of care being established.

The practice of receiving others requires us to be selective and focus. We can’t give to all the charities that send letters or make phone calls. But we can select a few and become aware of how they make a difference in the lives of others. But the most effective place to receive is found when we meet those who cross our paths in our daily life. In receiving others by sharing joy and concerns we prepare ourselves to receive again the presence of God in our lives.

In the Christian tradition we begin with the cries of the people who are hungry, tired and who suffer injustice. Even the cries of our neighbors who can’t find a home, can’t feed the family and who seek employment need to be received if we are to be prepared to receive the birth of the Christ. These are the captives who need to be ransomed.

Shepherds and wise men received messages that led them to come and worship. We sing “Silent Night,” “Holy Night” and “O Holy Night” as we acknowledge the coming of God into the midst of life to transform us.

There is a difference between giving and receiving. When we give we clean up the wrappings and we move on with life. When we receive we renew and deepen the bonds of our relationship. Our faith communities remind us that where justice, compassion and love for others and God there has the God who created us transformed us. We leave behind our attitude of “where is mine” that pushes self to the center. To receive is to break the loneliness and hurt in human life by our presence.

May we look forward to Advent as a time of receiving, and be filled with gratitude that our God has come to continue the transformation of life begun when Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph.

The Rev. Tom Woodward is pastor of Nashua Presbyterian Church.