Givers and Takers – To Serve or Be Served?

“The leech has two daughters.

‘Give! Give!’ they cry.” -Proverbs 30:15 (TNIV).

The Haemophagic leech is a fascinating creature. For instance, it is designed so well it can attach itself to a host’s skin without being detected because it injects an anaesthetic into the site of the skin where its suckers attach. Additionally, it secretes an anti-clotting enzyme into the host so as to ensure a good flow of blood as it sucks.[1] Now, there’s some intelligent design right there!

The leech’s purpose is to such blood from the host via both its anterior (oral) sucker until it is full, then it drops off the host to digest its payload. It comes equipped with other suckers as well to ensure a good ‘grip’ on the host.

And so it is with life; there are givers and takers. As Jesus mentioned we cannot love God AND money. People who love God are generally (though not always) givers, whereas people who love money are generally (though not always) takers.

Some people are never truly satisfied. They are like leeches, prepared to suck and suck and suck, but unlike the leech, they never get full and drop off. If you’ve got a leech or know of one, you’ll identify with what I’m saying.

We see leeches in the workplace and in every sphere of society--people who expect things to be done for them all the time, or people who complain incessantly, for example. They leave a sour taste in the mouths of the rest of society. They suck the ‘blood’ out of the meaning in life.

The apostle Peter spoke about the Living Stone and a Chosen People in this way:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” -1 Peter 2:9 (NIV).

When we’ve experienced this wonderful light of God we’re full of hope, love and faith, and it exudes from us. We connect with others like us, and we form a ‘giving alliance.’

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Giving’s not simply about money, but time, and the provision of anything we have that’s available for others in need. It’s also the preparedness to do something for people, including chores and errands.

Serve or be served? Give or take? You be the judge of what is right and wrong. Then it’s a question of doing what our heart’s command of us.

Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

[1] For more information go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leech