“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” {James 1:17}
My daughter and her husband bought their first home a little over a year ago. It’s a beautiful home with a unique feature that I love—the living room and dining room are separated by a double-sided fireplace! Because she has two little girls, she decided to turn the dining room into a playroom for them. It’s a perfect setup because the playroom is right off the eat-in kitchen. She can be in the kitchen or living room and still be close to her two girls while they play.
At any given time, when you walk into the playroom, you’ll see books and toys scattered all over the floor. One day, Selah — two years old — walked through the playroom and began pointing at the variety of books and toys she saw lying around. Every time she told, she said, “Grandma gave me this. Grandma gave me that. Grandma gave me this.”
Where we might have seen only a bunch of toys scattered everywhere, she saw the gifts her grandma had given her.
Laughing, my daughter called me and said, “You know your mom’s love language is gift giving when your 2-year-old walks through the playroom pointing out each thing you’ve given her!” That story made me so happy! I love that Selah remembers the gifts I have given her. I love that she knows her grandma loves her so much.
Later that evening, as I replayed her words, I sensed God challenging me to see this as a bigger lesson: he wants his children to see the gifts he has lavished on them! In the same way, my granddaughter recognized each toy as a gift from someone who loves her. God wants His children to look around their lives and see His gifts scattered everywhere. From our first breath to the promise of eternal life, our lives overflow with His generosity. Every new day, every answered prayer, every undeserved mercy is a loving gift from His hand. Our God is a giver. Giving is not just something He does, it’s who He is.
If you have a child or grandchild, you know what it feels like to give them a gift. Parents and grandparents don’t give gifts because their children earn them – we give because we delight in them. We notice what interests them, what makes them comfortable, and what makes them feel loved.
When I buy something for my grandchildren, it’s not because I have to, it’s because my heart overflows with affection. Something in me wants to express love in a tangible way. I want them to know they are seen, known, and cherished. That’s the same motivation behind God’s generosity toward us. His giving is rooted in love, not obligation.
Jesus captures this so beautifully in Matthew 7:9-11:
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will I give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Even the most loving parent or grandparent’s heart is only a small reflection of God’s perfect love. We give imperfectly, sometimes out of mixed motives or limited means. But God gives perfectly. His gifts are always good, always timed just right, and always for our eternal good.
While I might give my granddaughter a gift that brings her joy, God gives gifts that carry eternal purpose. He offers grace to sustain us, peace to guard us, and His presence to guide us. He gives wisdom when we ask, strength when we’re weak, and mercy when we fail.
As I pictured my granddaughter walking through that playroom, I couldn’t help but think: What if I learned to walk through life that way? What if, instead of rushing through my days, I paused to recognize each blessing as a personal gift from my Heavenly Father?
What if, in the middle of ordinary life, I began to whisper, “God gave me this. God gave me that.”
Because the truth is, He has. He gave you the breath you just took. He gave you the people who love you, the lessons that shape you, and the beauty surrounding you. Even in seasons of waiting or hardship, His gifts are there, sometimes wrapped in patience, surrender, or grace that carries you through a lonely or difficult season.
Romans 2:4 reminds us:
“Do you not realize that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”
Every good gift is an invitation, an expression of His kindness that draws us closer to His heart. When we slow down and notice His generosity, gratitude becomes our natural response. And gratitude transforms how we live. It softens our hearts, deepens our faith, and turns our attention from what we feel is missing in our lives to all God has given us!
As image-bearers of a generous God, we are called to reflect His giving nature. But biblical giving isn’t just about money or material things, it’s about offering ourselves in love. God’s giving looks like providing time for someone who needs to talk, extending grace when someone fails, sharing encouragement when someone is discouraged or weary, and offering forgiveness when it costs us something to let go of an offense..
When we give in these ways, we’re not just imitating God — we partner with Him. We become part of His ongoing generosity to those He has placed in our lives.
Sometimes, we hesitate to give because we feel we can’t afford it, or we might feel empty emotionally, spiritually, or even physically. But true generosity doesn’t come from abundance; it flows from grace. God doesn’t ask us to give more than we have, only to open our hands and hearts and let His love flow through us. And as we do, we’ll discover His generosity never dries.
Every gift from God, from daily provision to answered prayer, points us to the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 reminds us:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.”
That’s the heart of our giving to God. His love language is gift giving because His very nature is love. He didn’t give because we earned it. He didn’t give because we asked perfectly. He gave because love compelled Him to. And every good gift we experience in this life is meant to remind us of that ultimate act of love.
Father, thank You for being the ultimate Giver. Every good thing in my life comes from You. Help me to see Your gifts scattered throughout my days, the small joys, the big blessings, and even the lessons disguised as trials. Teach me to give as You give: with unlimited joy, grace, and love that reflects Your heart. May I live with gratitude and open hands, always pointing back to You, the Giver of every perfect gift. Amen.