Number Three.........

Coming in at number 3 on my Upsidedown Bucket List is .......Refusing to Receive. Most of us are brought up to be responsible individuals and concerned citizens. I am definitely NOT saying we should not be responsible, but Jesus taught His disciples to receive. In fact, in order to have eternal life we must receive!

In John 13, Jesus demonstrates. Jesus said, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." We are familiar with Jesus becoming the Servant of All, but I want to look at it from a different perspective. Had Peter refused for Jesus to wash his feet then he could have never been prepared to wash the feet of others. Sometimes we must be willing to receive before we can give. Jesus continues, "For I gave you an example that you do as I did to you."

No doubt, we are more comfortable being on the "giving" end of the stick. However, God wants us to receive ALL that He has for us! In His infinite wisdom there are times when He wants us to receive. Trust Him! He places His people in our path that are sensitive to His Spirit and will use them as His vessels to pour out His extravagant love in our lives. Once we recognize who is really doing the giving, we are blessed and much more capable of giving.....because we have received. Afterall, "We love, because He first loved us." I John 4:19