Give and Take

I have a book by that title. It was written by Adam Grant. The book is all about who we are in the workforce and how we behave in life. According to Grant there are those who give and those who take. The last time I read the book was a few years ago when I was teaching public speaking and group communication to a classroom of parolees seeking betterment in life. We read the book together and deduced as an honest group that in life and at work we do a little of both. We give a little and take a little. We might sneak in a longer lunch or finish with a client earlier than expected on a given day and then on other occasions we stay late to meet a deadline or we skip lunch to help a coworker.

The Book of Job speaks that God gives and takes away. I do not believe it is in the same manner as our way of living –our way of giving and taking.

I see God as a giving God. Of course bad things do happen, but the Lord is ever present in all of our needs. When God “takes away” his way is simply different from our way. At work if I take home an extra red pen because I don’t have one, it is not the same as God’s “take away.” Mine echos dishonesty. When God seemingly takes something away it is in fulfillment of his divine plan. God may slip something away from our living to show us a better way. Or maybe God simply wishes we will trust the plan.

Adam Grant wrote the book because he wanted his readers to believe that givers get more fulfillment from their jobs, their relationships and their lives because generosity trumps selfishness.

God would have us be givers (and takers). In our relationship with God what are we to give and what are we to take?

Food for thought!