The Love Language Of Giving / Receiving Gifts Series

5 Love Languages - Gifts

May 8, 2022

I think we all enjoy receiving gifts. Some though like it more, in fact, they live for those gifts. They don’t have to be super expensive, just something which says I was thinking about you. Of course, if you don’t know that someone craves receiving gifts and you don’t give them, then you’re missing out on a way to love someone who is very close to you.

That’s what we’re talking about this morning. It’s Mother’s Day. To me, it’s ladies day. It’s a day to honor the ladies in the church. It’s a day to use all of the love languages, to know the love language of the ladies in your life, so you can say thank you for the difference they have made in your life. I also think it’s fully appropriate to give thanks in memory of those who made a difference, but are no longer here.

We may look for that perfect card, when the words are already in our hearts. And sometimes our gifts can cross over and be 2 love languages in one. Making a card with your own words and then giving it to that special someone would be an example of words of affirmation and giving gifts. And our love language today is just that . . . giving gifts.

We’ve been looking at the 5 love languages and so far, we’ve talked about two of them.

Words of Affirmation - using words to encourage and build up another person. It could be writing them down, saying them, singing them - - - but it’s letting a person know they are loved through words. Words are very powerful, so say them with kindness.

Last week we looked at Quality Time. In our busy lives, I believe this is one of the easier love languages to mess up on. Someone wants us to give them our undivided attention. Not to look at the phone or do the dishes while they’re talking to us. They want us to be present with them, focused on them.

If you haven’t taken the love language quiz, to figure out your love language, you can do it at the website that’s on the screen. It only takes 15 minutes and you’ll have an idea of your primary love language. It’s great for adults and kids as well.

Remember, this isn’t just about relating to a spouse, but relating to kids and others we’re closest to. Isn’t that the goal in every relationship . . . how can I fulfill you? How can I show God’s love to you? That should be an over-arching question we’re asking.

With this in mind, I want to look at one of the most extravagant, maybe the most extravagant gift which is given in the Bible. The time is drawing closer for the death of Jesus, and in Mark 14, we read - - -

3 While Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper,

a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.

4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?

5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.

8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.

9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” - Mark 14

There’s a lot of speculation about who this woman was, but that really doesn’t matter. She gave a gift to Jesus, she poured perfume over Him, unknowingly preparing His body for His death and burial.

Everyone around her was indignant. They could have served the poor. Given lots of meals to the homeless and sick. In their eyes, she was wasteful. But Jesus didn’t think so, and her memory, her good deed of love is still remembered.

You see, this woman speaks to the motivation of giving. It’s a matter of the heart. It can be expensive, it can be inexpensive. It can be big or small. None of it matters accept the heart.

What was she wanting from Jesus in return from her gift? What did she ask Jesus to do for her? And here’s where we see her heart. And this is most important!