The Art of Receiving

The Art of Receiving

We talk a lot about giving. And we should—generosity is at the heart of the Christian life. But there’s another skill that’s just as important, and far less discussed: the art of receiving well.

Receiving well is harder than it looks. It requires being appreciative and grateful without worrying about whether the giver will hold it over you or expect something in return. It means accepting help with dignity rather than shame. It means letting others serve you without immediately trying to “even the score.”

In our culture, we often associate receiving with being selfish or weak. But that’s not how Jesus saw it.

Learning from the Master

Jesus was a master at both giving and receiving. Yes, He gave constantly—healing, teaching, feeding thousands, ultimately giving His life. But He also received beautifully.

He let Mary wash His feet with expensive perfume, even when others criticized the “waste.” He accepted hospitality from Martha and Mary, from tax collectors, from anyone who offered. He allowed the women who followed Him to provide for His ministry from their own resources.

Jesus never received with guilt or apology. He received with grace, dignity, and gratitude. He understood something we often miss: receiving well is actually a gift to the giver.

When Jesus allowed Mary to anoint His feet, He wasn’t being selfish or entitled. He was allowing her to express her love fully, without reservation. He was letting her give her 100%.

This is what good receiving looks like: it creates space for others to be generous. It honors their desire to serve, to contribute, to express love through action.

The 100/100 Principle

I remember during our wedding preparation, someone told my wife and me that marriage isn’t 50/50—it’s 100/100. Both spouses give everything they have, not to earn something in return, but because that’s what love does.

But here’s what I’ve learned: for that to work, both people also have to receive well. When my wife serves me—whether it’s making dinner, encouraging me after a hard day, or handling something I’ve forgotten—my job isn’t to immediately calculate how to pay her back. My job is to receive her gift with gratitude and let her love me fully.

And then I give my 100%. Not because I owe her, but because that’s how love flows. I give freely, and I let her give freely. The beautiful thing is that when both people are giving and receiving well, there’s always more than enough love to go around.

The Grace to Let Others Love Us

Perhaps the hardest part of receiving well is that it requires humility. Not the false humility that refuses help, but the true humility that acknowledges we don’t have to earn love or deserve grace.

And maybe that’s exactly what we need to learn: that being loved well is just as important as loving well. Because in the end, both are arts worth mastering.