An Open Hand Can Receive

There is something powerful about an open hand.

A closed hand may hold tightly to what it already has, but it cannot easily give — and it is also not positioned to receive.

An open hand can do both.

And that is where we find one of the great biblical principles of life:

Giving and receiving. Sowing and reaping.

“A man reaps what he sows.” — Galatians 6:7

When we hear the word giving, our minds often immediately go to money. But giving is much bigger than finances.

You can give your time to someone who needs help.

You can give encouragement to someone who is struggling.

You can give friendship to someone who feels alone.

You can give love to someone who desperately needs to experience it.

You can give respect even when nobody demands it.

You can give patience when somebody is learning.

You can give knowledge to someone coming up behind you.

You can give forgiveness instead of carrying bitterness.

You can give a listening ear instead of always needing to speak.

You can give an opportunity to someone who simply needs a chance.

You can give kindness, loyalty, support, hope, compassion, and sometimes simply your presence.

Giving starts long before money enters the picture.

🌱 What Are You Planting?

Think about a farmer planting a field.

If he plants corn, he expects corn.

He does not plant corn today and complain three months later because potatoes did not come out of the ground.

The harvest is connected to the seed.

Life often works according to that same principle.

What are you planting into the people around you?

Because Scripture reminds us:

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” — 2 Corinthians 9:6

Maybe instead of constantly looking at what is missing from our lives, we should sometimes look at what we are planting.

You say:

“I wish people would support me.”

Then become somebody who supports others.

You say:

“I need more encouragement.”

Start encouraging the people around you.

You say:

“I wish people would show me more appreciation.”

Start appreciating others.

You say:

“I need loyal friends.”

Become a loyal friend.

You say:

“I wish people would give me an opportunity.”

Look for somebody to whom you can give an opportunity.

You say:

“I need more love in my life.”

Then start planting love.

You say:

“Nobody helps me.”

Look around and ask:

“Who can I help?”

This does not mean that giving becomes a transaction with God or with people — I gave this, therefore you owe me that.

That is not the heart of biblical generosity.

We give because we have already received.

We love because God first loved us.

We forgive because we have been forgiven.

We show grace because we ourselves live by grace.

We bless because God has blessed us.

⚡ The Electrical Principle

As electricians, we understand that something cannot flow through a circuit that is completely isolated.

There must be a path.

There must be connection.

There must be flow.

Your life can become much the same.

If everything God has placed in your hands stops with you, eventually you become nothing more than a storage point.

But when you allow what you have received to flow through you — your knowledge, experience, encouragement, resources, opportunities and love — you become part of something bigger.

Think about the experienced electrician who takes five minutes to teach an apprentice instead of saying:

“You should already know this.”

That small investment could shape that young electrician's entire career.

Think about the contractor who helps another electrician understand a difficult regulation.

Think about the businessman who gives somebody their first opportunity.

Think about the colleague who notices someone having a difficult day and simply says:

“Are you okay?”

Never underestimate the seed you are planting.

You might forget about it tomorrow.

But somebody else may remember it for the rest of their life.

🤲 Keep Your Hands Open

There is another beautiful Scripture:

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” — Proverbs 11:25

Notice the picture.

Whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Sometimes we become so focused on receiving that we forget the principle of releasing.

We pray:

“Lord, send somebody to encourage me.”

And perhaps God is saying:

“Go encourage somebody.”

We pray:

“Lord, help my business.”

Perhaps there is another person's business you can support.

We pray:

“Lord, send me good people.”

Perhaps today you can become a good person in somebody else's life.

The amazing thing about an open hand is that while it can release what it carries, it remains open to receive what God places back into it.

Jesus said:

“Give, and it will be given to you.” — Luke 6:38

Again, this is bigger than money.

Give grace.

Give encouragement.

Give time.

Give knowledge.

Give kindness.

Give support.

Give forgiveness.

Give opportunity.

Give love.

🌾 What Harvest Do You Want?

Maybe this week we should ask ourselves a different question.

Instead of:

“What do I need?”

Ask:

“What can I sow?”

Need encouragement?

Sow encouragement.

Need support?

Sow support.

Need kindness?

Sow kindness.

Need friendship?

Be a friend.

Need respect?

Show respect.

Need forgiveness?

Practice forgiveness.

Need someone to believe in you?

Believe in somebody else.

Need an opportunity?

Create an opportunity for another person where you can.

And then trust God with the harvest.

You might not always reap from the same person you sowed into.

You might not reap tomorrow.

And the harvest might not arrive in the exact form you expected.

But never believe that a good seed planted in faith, generosity and love is wasted.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

This Week's Challenge

Look for one person every day this week to whom you can give something.

Not necessarily money.

Give five minutes.

Give advice.

Give encouragement.

Give a compliment.

Give patience.

Give assistance.

Give someone your attention.

Give someone a chance.

Give somebody hope.

Plant something good.

Because the principle remains:

Whatever you want to see growing around you, start planting it.

And remember:

🤲 A closed hand can hold what it has.

But an open hand can give — and an open hand can receive.

Keep planting good seed.

Keep giving.

Keep your hands open.

And trust God with the harvest. 🌱

Have a blessed and purposeful week ahead.