Not so easy to receive

Osteoporosis is crippling her. With five broken bones in her lower back, she bends forward, leaning heavily on her walker. She accepts help, but only when she has to. Otherwise she is fiercely independent.
She was determined to treat Mom to some Christmas decorations from Pier 1. 'I don't really know her,' Mom whispered to me, finding it very hard to accept.
She was determined to buy Mom, and me as the driver, a good lunch. Not a sandwich. It had to be a hot meal. Because we were at a place specialising in cheesecake, she insisted we choose a piece to bring back. She upgraded mom's to a 6" round cake. 'I really hardly know her,' Mom whispered again, reaching for her purse.
It is better to give than to receive, the Bible says. It is certainly harder to receive.
This dear lady talked. She talked a lot, about her life, the losses, the broken relationships. She talked of rejection and loneliness, of having no family left in the world with whom she is in contact. She is outspoken and no doubt responsible for some of the brokenness, but in her loneliness Mom has obviously been a friendly smile, a kind word, a beacon of light.
Jesus came to his own people, but they didn't receive him. It can be hard to receive.
God wants to give to us every day. He may paint a glorious sunrise, but we fail to open our curtains or look up. He may enable a touching picture in the nature around us...an encounter between birds or squirrels, a nuzzle from a friendly dog, but we are busy and rush past. He may reach out to us through the hug of a friend, but we stiffen and pull back awkwardly.
To everyone who receives Jesus, who recognises who he is, God gives the right to be called children of God. To all who receive.
It can be hard to receive. We don't really know God. We don't want to be indebted. We feel we can do it on our own, not wanting to appear weak, to be dependent. We don't have time to think it through. We struggle on like the lady, leaning painfully on her walker, broken bones in her back.
May we all have our senses alert to receive from our loving Father today, all the blessings that he will pour out on each of us. His eyes twinkle with anticipation, excited to see our reaction to his bountiful love. He is the one who gave his heart, his only son who he loved so much, the gift of Christmas. May we all have the grace to receive him with love, and with him, life in all its fullness.
If I need to lean on anything today, may it be on Him.