Human gift giving is not God’s gift giving. Fallen man will always have strings attached to the gift, no matter how much one tries to rationalize this. So examine yourself, are you really emulating God when you give a gift to another? Or in other words, is it really a gift?

When God gives a gift, there are zero strings attached. It is completely unconditional. He isn’t giving any gift to be a “better God” or just to prove how loving and merciful He is. He isn’t trying to gain favor or allegiance. He does this to glorify Himself, it is just who He is. He is not seeking anything by giving the gift such as loyalty or devotion. The gifts He give are unconditional to His perfect plan and purpose.

Religious zealots will attach failed strings to God’s gifts in the attempt to reduce Him and His glory. They will basically teach that God works as an ATM machine, the more religious loyalty and devotion you give Him, the more He gives His gifts. But this only NEGATES God and His grace, because it reduces Him into a fallen human being.

If you are really emulating God’s way of giving a gift, there is nothing attached, even your own expectation of enjoyment. You give the gift with absolutely no expectation or emotion attached, such as even a “thank you” from the recipient. You gave the gift to totally and unequivocally benefit the recipient, never yourself.

Was it benefiting Jesus to leave His eternal throne and die on a Cross? Or was that gift from God solely the benefit of the recipients of His redemption. Because IF Jesus had attached conditions to His sacrifice, no one indeed would be saved, not a one.

Matthew 6:3 But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing

Jesus makes an awesome point for us to understand. “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”, because in our flesh which holds sin, we naturally attach strings to our gifts. We EXPECT things. Let’s say you gave randomly an expensive gift to someone you love and that person said nothing, would you be instantly disappointed? Be honest, you probably would because you attached an expectation, you let your left hand KNOW what your right hand was doing. You gave that gift with the mindset it might help that person you love, but ALSO with that it would build your own esteem. In other words the intent was selfish no matter how benevolent you felt you were.

And speaking from experience, it is NOT easy in this because of our natural tendencies. It takes practice, discipline and a total reliance on the Holy Spirit to just give a gift and then walk away from it! But when you do? How much more fulfilling it is! Honestly, when I first started doing this, I would have to be reminded by an individual that I did something for them because I walked away from any expectation.

What I personally learned by studying God’s gift giving was how LIMITED humans are in their gift giving based on conditions and strings and expectations. We tend to give gifts solely and only to those we believe DESERVE them. God on the other hand gives His gifts to those we naturally believe DO NOT deserve them! Think about this!

So if you are enveloped in a religion which is attaching strings to the gift of salvation, that would be a man-centered faith, and time for you to leave! Run to God, who never attaches such strings!