Seeing the Gifts in Our Givens
I get a lot of church ads in my inbox, but a video from Ignitor Media really grabbed my attention (Taken For Granted). It starts with a man sitting down to eat breakfast, and just as he goes to pour milk over his cereal, the milk disappears. Later, when he’s showering, the water disappears, and then, as he goes to put laundry in the washing machine, it disappears too. At the end of the video, his wife calls out, “Honey, are you taking things for granted again?”
I don’t know about you, but this is something I struggle with too. Like the man in the video, I can start taking simple things for granted, not seeing them as gifts but as givens. How about you? Do you take simple things like having milk, a working washing machine, or hot water for granted? Frankly, my list of things I can take for granted can get embarrassingly long: food in the fridge, gas in the car, good schools, family, friends, mentors, and even our church. It’s easy to start seeing these as “givens.” But if we’re not careful, we can let these gifts—relationships, independence, freedom—slip away, or start treating them as “givens” when, in fact, they are precious gifts.
What are some of the gifts you’ve overlooked or treated as “givens”? Family? Close friends? A roof over your head, a car to drive, the food you eat, and clean water to drink? Our parks, lakes, and the beauty of the outdoors?
It is easy to slip into a mindset where we fail to recognize the blessings around us because we see them as permanent fixtures rather than daily provisions. The Bible teaches us that everything we have—whether big or small, material or relational—comes from God as a precious gift, not as a given. James 1:17 reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all.” Recognizing these gifts for what they are can transform our perspective, filling our lives with gratitude instead of entitlement and joy instead of complacency.
Let’s not take anything for granted. What can you thank God for today? What gifts in your life are calling for renewed appreciation? Take a moment to thank God for these blessings, seeing them with fresh eyes as gracious provisions rather than “givens.”
And come to church this Sunday, in person or online, remembering the gift of community and the impact we have in each other’s lives. I am grateful we get to share this journey together.
With Gratitude,
Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC