Many years ago, when I was a seminary student at my alma mater, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis | Theological Education, there was a professor’s wife who did clothing alterations for seminarians. This was something that she did quietly and behind the scenes, out of the goodness of her heart. I’m not even sure how I came to find out about this service which she provided, but in my first year at seminary, I did have several pair of pants that needed some work, and so I reached out to her. This was in the days before the internet and cell phones, of course, so I must have sent her a message through inter-campus mail. She responded and told me to bring the clothing items to her, which I did. After she had finished the work I had asked her to do, she let me know that I could come and pick up the pants. When I did, I thanked her and said that I wanted to pay her. She said that this wasn’t necessary. “But I want to honor the time and work that you put into doing this,” I said. No, she didn’t need to be paid, she said. But still, I persisted and this went on for some minutes. Finally, she became rather exasperated with me and said words that I have always remembered: “Just be a gracious receiver!”

Over the years, I have thought a lot about what this woman said to me. Again and again, I have drawn upon this valuable life lesson that she taught me. I have come to understand that most of us are not gracious receivers. Most of us want to be the givers, not the receivers, in life. We want to be the ones who are providing help and assistance. We don’t want to be ones who are on the receiving end of that help and assistance. We don’t want to be beholden to others. And so we struggle with receiving, which is insight into why we struggle with the concept of grace – undeserved love and forgiveness. There is something about our human condition that rebels against the idea that we can get something for nothing. The world doesn’t work that way, we know. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. “There’s no free lunch,” as P.T. Barnum famously said. All of this extends into the spiritual realm as well.

For Lutheran Christians, the concept of grace is central to our theology, as the reformer, Martin Luther, made abundantly clear in his speaking and writing. Paul the apostle’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9 serve to anchor our preaching and teaching and living: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” There it is, clear as day. Why is it, then, that so many struggle with grace; accepting this and receiving it for the gift from God that it is? Many will mistakenly say that God’s grace must be earned; that it is our own good works which make us deserving of God’s grace. Nothing could be further from the truth. Without question, grace is the hallmark of the Christian faith. It is what distinguishes Christianity from every other world religion. There is nothing within us that merits or deserves God’s grace and favor. If anything, it is the opposite. There is everything within us that merits and deserves God’s righteous anger and condemnation because of our stubborn pride, our sin and disobedience; the evil we have done and the good we have failed to do. And yet, despite our faithlessness, God is faithful. Again and again the Word of God reminds us of this blessed truth: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). God’s mercy and grace are chiefly known in the sending of God’s own Son, Jesus. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have been reconciled to God. Through the blood-bought redemption of Jesus, God is at peace with us. In life and in faith, we are called to be gracious receivers.

All of this comes about through the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit, who “has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the truth faith,” as Luther writes in his explanation of the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed. This isn’t an overnight process. It takes a lifetime for the child of God to grow into the truth of what it means to be a gracious receiver. I’m still growing into this, and so are you. And so what does it mean to be a gracious receiver? What does this look like? The verse which follows Ephesians 2:8-9 is very helpful here. Ephesians 2:10 says this: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” The original word for “workmanship” (ποίημα) also means “work of art,” “masterpiece.” Beautiful! Through the redeeming blood of Jesus shed on the cross for us, this is who and what we are in God’s eyes: a thing of beauty; a work of art; a masterpiece. Not only that, but this verse from Scripture reminds us that God has prepared good works for us to do. This isn’t happenstance or just some afterthought. No, indeed – “God prepared beforehand” that we should walk in them. These good works become our response as gracious receivers to all that God in Christ has done for us. Among Luther’s many quotable quotes is this: “God doesn’t need your good works, but your neighbor does.” So true! To see Christ in our neighbor and be Christ to our neighbor is the response God is looking for in each of our lives; not because we have to, but because we want to. We are moved to love and serve others as God in Christ has loved and served us. The vertical dimension of our faith (from God to us) must make itself known in the horizontal dimension of our faith (from us to others). This means both giving as well as receiving.

There will be seasons in life when we are blessed to be gracious givers, extending works of love to others in Jesus’ Name. But there will also be seasons in life when we are blessed to be gracious receivers as others minister to us. It’s not either/or, but both/and. Over this summer season, when we enter into the long “green season,” the non-festival half of the church year, the focus is on responding to the amazing grace of what God in Christ has done for us: his birth and life and ministry; his innocent suffering and death upon the cross; his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Green is the color of life and growth in the natural world around us, and we see that especially in these long summer days. May you be blessed to be both a gracious receiver and a gracious giver.