Joy in a Gift

4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

As we have already seen, the Philippians sent a monetary gift to Paul through Epaphroditus:

"I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need." (Phil.2:25)

Now in 4:10ff. ("ff." means "and following"), Paul discusses their gift directly. The first thing Paul says here in v.10 regarding the gift is how it brought him great joy.

Most of us don’t have to have the concept of rejoicing when receiving a gift explained to us. Everybody loves getting a gift. But there is even a godly (and therefore an ungodly) way to receive a gift. Paul shows us the godly way here.

First of all, notice Paul does not say that he rejoiced in the gift greatly, but that he "rejoiced in the Lord greatly" with regard to the gift. His joy was not in the gift itself (as he says explicitly in v.17) but in:

1- the folks who gave

2- the Lord who is the ultimate source of all gifts

3- the process of giving

1- THE FOLKS WHO GAVE

Just as a parent rejoices in a gift from his young child more in the thought and the expression of love than in the gift itself, so Paul does here. He rejoices to see his friends in Christ acting like their Father in heaven. He also rejoices to see that they are storing up treasure for themselves in heaven, but we’ll talk about that when we get to v.17.

2- THE PROCESS OF GIVING

Giving is good. It is God-like. God is the great giver, and when men give they are imitating Him. Giving is something worthy of rejoicing in. Paul finds joy in the very fact that they gave.

3- THE LORD WHO IS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF ALL GIFTS

When we are given a gift, it is right that we rejoice. But our rejoicing should not be primarily in the gift received, but in the divine Giver of all good gifts, who is behind every other giver. Like Paul, upon receiving a gift, we should "rejoice greatly in the Lord."

"God...richly supplies us with all things to enjoy." (1Tim.6:17)

When we understand how something reflects the Lord who made it, when we come to grips with how a gift reflects the love and kindness of the divine Giver, then we have grasped the essence and the glory of that thing. If we consider a thing apart from its Giver, it is meaningless and empty, it is vanity of vanities.

So, when Paul rejoices in the Philippian gift, he is not rejoicing in money or in the material things it will provide, his joy is not in treasures that will get used up (things which "moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal" - Matt.6:19-20). Paul is rejoicing in the godliness of the Philippians and in the magnificent grace of God. And that’s the godly way to receive a gift.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. For He is the giver of every good thing, and our protector from all evil!

May Your people have eyes to see, Lord, eyes to see the Giver behind the gifts. And help us to love the Giver and not the gift.