How to Love God: Gifts

The Rancher

Malachi 3:6-12

Gifts

After seeing in Luke 10 that the one thing that God longs for from us is that we love Him with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind, we have been looking at how to love God using the five love languages described for us in the book “The Five Love Languages” by Dr. Gary Chapman. So far have we looked at Words of Affirmations, how to say to God how much we appreciate what God has done and is doing for us, and Quality Time, spending time with God.

Today we look at the love language of Gifts. While this is pretty self explanatory, one of the questions that comes to mind is first what can we give God, given that God has given us all that we have, and why do we need to give to God. I have a story that I have written that I have shared with you before that answers these question and I would like to share it with you today.

A while back, a wealthy rancher owned a large spread about the size of Montana.  He had developed it over the years so that it was one of the most efficient, fertile and productive ranches in the entire country.  It was so well designed and managed that the owner had little to do except enjoy it's beauty.

One day, as the rancher was riding across his land to check on one of the herds, the thought flashed across his mind, "I wish I had someone to share this with."  All of the sudden a question hit him.  "Why couldn't I have someone to share this with?  This ranch more than supplies my needs, I could get along on just a fraction of what this land and my herds provide." 

So the rancher had an idea.  He would divide his land into workable plots, making sure that each one had plenty of natural resources and it's own herd of cattle.  The rancher also made sure that there was a wealth of hidden treasures in each plot.  These treasures were designed to make life easier and the work more fruitful and exciting. As each of these plots was fashioned, because each one was unique, the Rancher made notations as to the best way to care for and manage each plot.

When all was ready, the Rancher took out ad's in papers all over the country.  He let it be known that he had land to give to special people who would care for it as he had cared for it.  People came from all over to take advantage of this wonderful offer.  They came, were interviewed and given the plot that was just right for them. 

As each plot was awarded, the recipients were also informed of three requirements that went with the gift.

1.  That they care for the land as the rancher cared for it, treating it with respect and not abusing it for momentary gain.

2.  That they share any treasure they found on their land with their neighbors.

3.  That they honor him by bringing him 10% of the produce from the land and the herds, which the rancher would use to supply him, his hired hands and to help people in need.

In return, they got to keep the other 90% of the produce from the land and the herds and unlimited access to the Rancher.  If they wanted, he would even help them discover the treasures hidden with in their plot.

That first year things went well.  The land prospered, as did the people.  As they worked the land and cared for their herds, the people began to discover the hidden treasures that was spread through out the ranch. When some one would discover something new, they couldn't wait to tell the Rancher and all of their neighbors.  In fact most of them would share some of the treasure with their neighbors, making all of their lives easier.

 

When the time came for the first harvest, there was great rejoicing as the people came to bring their 10% to the Rancher.  As they arrived, they were each given a place to stay in the Ranchers mansion.  They were told that they would each have a personal audience with the Master of the house and that they would be called when their time came.  In the mean time, it was suggested that they spend their time in the Great Hall where refreshments would be served and comfortable furniture was available, which they did.  They were also informed that after the interviews were all complete, that the Master would have a great banquet of celebration.

Each of them was called in turn and escorted through a small door at the East end of the Hall, into a small but comfortable room.  The room had only two pieces of furniture in it, two overstuffed chairs that enfolded those who sat in them, relaxing them and making them feel at home.  The walls, however, were covered with pictures in beautiful frames.  If one looked closely, they would notice that the frames contained the pictures of all the people seated in the Great Hall. 

As soon as each person entered the room, the were greeted by the Rancher and invited to sit down.  As they did, a most amazing thing happened, they felt completely at ease and just began to talk.  They shared with the Rancher all of the wonders of the part of the ranch under their care.  The Rancher sat in the other chair and just soaked it all in with a big smile on his face, commenting occasionally about how well each person had done. When the conversations drew to an end, the Rancher gave each person a clue to lead them to another hidden treasure on the land.

When all of the interviews were done, the Rancher joined the people in the Great Hall where the people joyously presented Him with the 10% of their harvest (of course the animals were left outside).  Some even gave more than the 10% as a way of showing their great gratitude for all that the Rancher had done for them. 

When the all of the offerings had been made, the Rancher said follow me.  He led the people out onto the lawn, where a great feast had been laid out.  The Rancher then ordered in a loud voice, "Let the party begin."  And it did.  The party lasted for three days.  After the party was over, the people all returned to their homes, re-energized and excited about the prospects for the coming year. 

Over the next several months, the people began to notice the Rancher riding across the Ranch visiting each of the individual homesteads.  The people wondered what was going on, but most of them did not pay much attention.  There were some, however, who grew suspicious.  They began to imagine that the Rancher was checking up on them.  At one of the get together’s that some of them had, the people began to talk about seeing the Rancher visiting their land.  One of the people who was suspicious declared, "Well if that's the way the Rancher is going to be, I'm not going to go to His party next year."  Another piped up, "Yeah, and I don't understand why we have to give the Rancher 10% of our hard earned produce anyway.  Isn't it enough that we take care of His land for Him without having to pay Him for the privilege?"  "And He's got enough to live on any way" another added. This went on for quite a while and it seemed as if all of the people at that meeting were going to boycott the next gathering.  Finally the fury grew silent.

And then a young man spoke up.  "I've been sitting and listening to this discussion and I think that there is one thing that we are leaving out.  You sound like this land that we are taking care of belongs to us.  You act like the wealth that surrounds us is ours.  Aren't you forgetting that until the Rancher came into our lives, we had nothing.  All that we have comes from Him. I know that the Rancher cares about the land, but I also know that the Rancher cares about me, and it is the least I can do to keep my agreement with Him." 

"Me to" a nearby  women joined in.  "Since I came to the ranch, my life has been full of meaning.  This land that I have been given to care for gives purpose to my life and I will forever be indebted to the one who gave me that purpose.  As far as I am concerned, everything I have belongs to the Rancher, and I'm going to treat all that the Rancher has given me as he wants me to." 

When the get together was over, people went back to their homesteads and continued their work, but to the close observer there were differences in the way that the people carried out their tasks.  Those who had shown distrust of the Rancher at the gathering became more distrustful of everyone.  Instead of sharing the treasures that they found on their land, with their neighbors, they hoarded it.  And even though they had a bountiful harvest, it was not enough.  Those people did not go to the gathering that year and although most of them sent a token of their harvest to the Rancher, it was much less than what their deal stipulated.  Over the next several years, they further broke their deal by abusing the land to try and get a greater harvest than it would normally yield.  As they did this, it seemed that their land got harder and harder to handle and their harvest began to shrink.  They also noticed that the treasures that they had once found in abundance on their land, they didn't find at all any more, which in turn made their job harder and their life started to become miserable. 

On the other hand, those who recognized that all that they had came from the Rancher lived differently.  They continued to share the treasures, that they continued to find, with their neighbors.  They kept their appointment with the Rancher at the gathering every year, and they continued to treat the land they had been blessed with as the Rancher wanted them too.  Their harvests continued to grow and even though they worked hard and faced difficult problems at times, their lives were full of happiness and meaning.

After several years like this, the ones who distrusted the Rancher began to notice the difference between their lives and homesteads and those of the ones who were faithful to the Rancher, and they became angry.  Several of them immediately went to the Rancher's mansion and demanded an audience with Him to find out why they were being cheated out of what they thought was due them.

They were shown into the Great Hall and served some refreshments while they waited for the Rancher to appear.  After a short time, the small door at the other end of the hall opened and out walked the Rancher.  As soon as they saw Him, the DR's jumped to their feet and rushed to confront him.  They cried out, claiming that they were being used by the Rancher and demanding JUSTICE.  

The Rancher stood and listened to them until they grew tired and one of them demanded "What do you have to say about the way that you've cheated us?"  The hall finally fell silent and then the Rancher spoke.  His voice was calm yet firm and it commanded their attention.

"You have that all wrong" the Rancher said.  "It is I who have been cheated.  I brought you to this land and I gave you herds and homesteads that were each unique and wonderful.  When you came I matched your place on the ranch with your gifts and talents and I filled each of those homesteads with hidden treasure.  That treasure, I designed to multiply when you shared them with your neighbors.  In return all I asked was that you show me the respect I am due by dedicating 10% of your harvest of land and animals to me as the one who has given you all you have.  And to treat the land as it should be treated."

"Instead, you have not treated me with respect.  Even though the harvest had always been bountiful you have kept what is due me and you have abused the land for your own gain.  You have hoarded the treasures you have found instead of sharing them with your neighbors.  You have ignored your meeting with me and treated me with contempt.  In fact you have treated all I have given you as if it were your own.  And you have turned into selfish people that I don't even recognize any more."

"Those are the reasons that you are struggling on the land.  I have designed this land to work a certain way and when it is misused, it loses it's productivity.  You have misused the land.  And those treasures that you used to find on your land, where do you think that they came from?  They came from me.  You have distrusted my visits to your land, and you didn't even realize that what I was doing was hiding new treasure there to bring you joy.  I took the gifts you give me, turn them into treasure and spread them through out the ranch.  But those gifts are meant to be shared and I knew by your selfish actions, that I could not trust you to share them.  So I put them on the land of those who had kept the covenant with me.  You see I knew I could trust them to share those gifts."

"You want to know how to make things better for yourselves?  It is very simple.  Keep the covenant with me. If you do those things, your land will once again be fruitful and I will shower treasure on you as I did before."

When the Rancher finished speaking, the Great Hall fell silent.  He turned and walked slowly through the small door at the end of the room.  The DR's, who remained deep in thought, rose and left one at a time.  Some of them took the words of the Rancher to heart and changed their ways.  As they did, they saw that the Rancher had spoken the truth.  Their land became fertile and they began to find treasure again on their land.  They also noticed that the treasure  multiplied when it was shared.  They also began to look forward to the great gathering each harvest season.  Their lives were once again filled with joy.

There were others who ignored the exhortation of the Rancher and continued to act as if the land were theirs.  As they did this, the land became more difficult to deal with and their selfishness isolated them from the fellowship of those around making their lives more and more miserable.

God has told us what we can do to give gifts to Him and why they are important. Yet God knows that a gift that is required is no gift. As we seek to tell God we love God has told us how we can show that love through our gifts. So, let us love God.