I have been blessed to receive many wonderful gifts from friends and family members. But sometimes the gifts we receive are not useful, good for us, or right for us at the moment, though perhaps it once was. The Hebrews writer made an interesting connection between God and our human fathers when he wrote, “God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” (Heb. 12:7). In Luke 11:11 Jesus asked, “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?” and concluded that God would therefore give good things to us. We have a Father in Heaven who knows how to give His children gifts! Surely we could describe Him as the Greatest Giver.
God is the greatest Giver because He wants you to know and live in harmony with the truth. We should not trick ourselves into fatalistic thinking that God is always against us or does not care for us (Jas. 1:16). Neither should we think that the natural and spiritual consequences of sin are an indication that God wants us to be lost. God does not want anyone to perish (2 Pet. 3:9). False teaching, improper understanding, or mental illness could lead someone to have these thoughts. But knowing and living according to the truth will lead us the right way (Ps. 119:105). Consider what a gift we have been given that all of the other gifts He gives will align us properly with truth! This makes our lives better and leads us to eternal life.
God is the greatest Giver because He only gives good things. James affirms, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” assuring us that God is for us, not against us (Jas. 1:17). It’s comforting enough that God does not give us anything bad, but the verse implies more than that. Anything and everything given that is good is ultimately from God. Your family, food, peace, and anything you can think of that is good could not be enjoyed without God’s goodness. On the other hand, anything that Satan has to offer that looks good cannot be good. Just ask Adam and Eve. Consequently, what God offers is what’s best for us in the short term, in the long term, and into eternity even if we cannot see it now. Resist the Devil and draw near to God no matter how desirable Satan makes sin look (Jas. 4:7-8).
God is the greatest Giver because He has an unchanging nature. James describes God as One who will not change (Jas. 1:17). The Creator of the stars offers benevolence to us. We can rely on Him because His nature, standards, and promises are unchangeable (Heb. 13:8, Ps. 89:2, Matt. 5:18). Therefore, what He’s given that was good before is still good today.
God is the greatest Giver because He offers salvation. He cannot be the greatest Giver unless He is the One Who has provides the greatest gift. What could fit that description more than the salvation of our souls, the inheritance promised, a crown of life, a heavenly home, available only because He gave His only begotten Son (Jas. 1:21, Eph. 1:11, Jas. 1:12, John 14:2-3, John 3:16). James says He begot us using His word so that we could become His (Jas. 1:18). In other words Christians have been born again (John 3:5).
Recognizing God as the Greatest Giver transforms our understanding of every gift we receive in life. He is the source of all that is good, true, and eternal. His gifts are not just material; they are spiritual, aligning us with truth, providing us with peace, and securing our eternal home. His unchanging nature offers us an anchor in a world of flux, ensuring that His gifts are always good, always right, and always for our ultimate benefit.
The pinnacle of His generosity is the gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. This gift is not merely about escaping judgment but about being reborn into a life of fellowship with Him, enjoying every spiritual blessing in Christ. Embrace his gifts, drawing near to our Heavenly Father, who desires to love His children. By aligning ourselves with His truth and resisting the temptations of the world, we experience the fullness of life that He intended for us, both now and into eternity.