S3 E22 - If You're Gonna Take It, You Have To Dish It

I pulled through Starbucks today, and the car in front of me paid for my drink. It was a small, sweet gesture - a random act of kindness. I was asked, "Would I like to pass it on?" Well, of course! How could I receive a blessing, but not turn around and also then give that same blessing? Well...such is the case with every blessing we have been given in Christ. We have been given forgiveness, grace, patience, love, and the list goes on and on. But do we take the same things God has given to us and give them to others? How can we receive such blessings but not in turn give those same things to others? The expression normally goes, "If you're gonna dish it you have to take it." However, in this case, the inverse is true. "If youre gonna take it, you have to dish it." 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day? 

What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths?

Would you believe me? 
 Hi, I’m BJ Sipe – and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above Podcast. 

I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father.

Thanks for tuning in!

It’s been too long since I sat behind this microphone, and I am so thankful for everyone’s patience as things got a little hectic on my end. I intended to drop an episode yesterday, but I was feeling really poorly and ended up going to sleep as soon as I got home from work until mid-evening. Which, actually, worked out okay because today produced an entirely different direction with my podcast. More on that in a minute. Last week we didn’t have a podcast as I was 10,000 feet up in the air in route to East Texas to spend time in the Word with a church out in Center. It was such an encouraging weekend, from getting to meet so many wonderful people & finally connecting with several guys I’ve kept up with virtually over the past few years. Most of all, I left with a deep love and gratitude for Nathan & Kayla Cox and their family. Nathan is going to be one of those guys that we get onto the podcast before too long, and I can’t wait to introduce you all to him and his family. They are selfless, hospitable, humble, and some of the kindest folks you would ever meet. I am so grateful that God brought us together, and I came home feeling so encouraged by my time spent there. Speaking of kindness, that brings us to today’s episode. Today was a very busy day. After 7:30, 8:30, and 10:30 studies and appointments, I went on home to grab a quick lunch before meeting up with our preacher intern to continue our studies together for the rest of the day. I was still feeling sluggish after lunch, and I had just enough time to drive through Starbucks on my way to meet up with Joe. It was 93 degrees today, so knew exactly what I wanted – a Venti Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. If you’ve not tried it yet, do yourself a favor and get you one, it’s the best thing they serve on their menu. I put my order in after chatting for just a moment with the barista over the intercom and waited in line to pull forward to the window.  I took a moment to load up my app to make sure I got my points towards free future purchases as I rolled on up to the window. As I stuck my phone out of my driver’s side for the barista to scan, he slid open his window and said, “Actually my guy, the car in front of you paid for your drink today.” “Wow!” I said, “That was sure thoughtful. Well, what did the car behind me order?” He looked back at the screen and told me, and then asked, “Would you like to pass it on?” I nodded and said, “By all means, I’ll get theirs – let’s just keep it going.” I love it when stuff like this happens at a coffee shop or a drive through. Someone starts the ball rolling with a single small act of kindness, and before you know it 10 or 20 people have returned that same kindness shown to them to the person that is behind them. And why wouldn’t you? When you’ve been given something, even something as small as a cup of coffee, and you’re given the opportunity to share that same blessing with someone else, how hypocritical would it be to not do the same? I have the tendency to tell my kids when they are wrestling or teasing, “If you’re gonna dish it then you have to take it.” Well, when it comes to blessings, I think the inverse is just as true. “If you’re gonna take it, then you have to dish it.” 

Such is the nature with every blessing that we have been lavished with in Jesus Christ. I am reminded of the text in Ephesians 1 where Paul would write, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Just take a moment to reflect on this text and consider everything that has been richly given to us in Christ Jesus. We have been given all of these things as a gift from God: adoption as children of God, forgiveness, grace, kindness, and love. These are not things that we earned, nor things that we could ever deserve…and yet they have been offered to us freely in Jesus Christ. Isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t that the most magnificent thing that could ever happen to us? But here’s the real question that we need to ask ourselves…do we pass it on? My friends, God has not simply given us every spiritual blessing in order for us to be takers – his love should move us to extend that same grace to others as givers. Let’s take a few moments to consider as many things as we have time for that have been given to us by God, that he now calls for us to turn around and also give to others as a result. 
 
 In Acts 10:34, Peter would declare concerning Jesus, “All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.” In Christ, we have been forgiven of every sin and offense we have committed against God. We take it…but do we give it? Jesus would teach in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” 

Peter would remind us of another blessing we have been given in Christ – his great patience. We read in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” Boy, has God ever been patient with me. I cannot begin to imagine how many times I have grieved, frustrated, or hurt the Father, and yet he remains patient towards me. I’m certain you feel the same way. We’ll take it…but do we give it? Paul would tell the Thessalonians that the same patience God has shown us is the kind of patience we ought to in turn give others. He would say, “And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) 

Paul would tell us that God took notice of us when we were weak and sinful, and being moved by compassion poured himself out to save us. We read in Romans 5:6-8, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Praise be to God that he did not wait for us to clean up our acts and make ourselves right before he served us, or else none of us would have the hope of salvation! It was his love that drew each of us in and transformed us from sinner to saint. And we’re so grateful he showed us that kindness…but do we give it? When you see others struggling in sin, weak, and broken – are you moved by compassion to share that same love that God has shared for you, even if they have done nothing to deserve it? Or do you scoff and self-righteously turn your nose up at them, demanding they clean themselves up before you have anything to do with them? I am reminded of the imagery of Matthew 25, where the King praises those on the right for visiting, clothing, and serving him. When they ask when they did these things, he would tell them, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matt. 25:40) But for those who did not do this, who refused to serve others as they had been served by the King, well…they stood condemned. 

We are out of time, but I can imagine we could do this all night long discussing each and every blessing we have been given in Christ that we are called in turn to share with others. May God mold and fashion our hearts by his grace to assume the same nature as our gracious Savior. We truly have been given every blessing in Christ – but if we’re willing to take it, we’d better make sure we’re ready to give it. 

Thank you for tuning in for this week’s episode, and I would invite you back every Thursday for a brand-new episode each week. If you haven’t already, be sure to find us on Facebook for future announcements or even some special video sessions. If you have benefited from this podcast, share it with someone else that you think would benefit from it also. Until next time, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each & every day set our minds above.