Giving and taking, it’s all part of the Dance

Some say there are two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. Givers give because:

1. they’re generous/have the gift of generosity or
2. they want people to like them or
3. they want to be sure they are good enough
4. some want to be sure they are good enough for God

Takers take because:

1. they are grateful to receive or
2. they are afraid of losing what they have and/or not having enough or
3. they think they deserve more than they have or
4. they grew up believing finders/keepers loser’s/weepers or its modern version, “you snooze you lose”

I’d like to think there is a third kind of person in the world: the give and taker.

1. Sometimes they give; sometimes they take.
2. It doesn’t matter where you start because it’s a cycle.
3. The giving is in response to the taking and
4. The taking is in response to the giving.

On my best days, and I pray this becomes more the everyday case, I am a give-and-taker.

1. I have a plan, intentions, objectives, but none of it carved in stone. (taking)
2. I go about my day attending to what needs doing but with my senses tuned to what else needs doing so I can revise my course without disruption. (giving)
3. Once adjusted, I adopt to my new plan and assess my options trusting my new course will become clear. (taking)
4. As I engage the new plan, I watch and listen for something that’s said or done that guides my next steps. (giving)

I find when I am in give and take mode, I arrive at a destination and accomplish a task or tasks that dovetail perfectly with whatever else I was doing. It may seem like it was all my idea, but if it were, it wouldn’t feel like this. It would have been an uphill struggle, a long hard climb, and I would be exhausted when I reached the peak. Instead, I feel rejuvenated – perhaps not physically so – but alive with a new idea or a next step or a modification. I have taken, and now I am on to the give.

Give and taker, it doesn’t flow so well, does it? Perhaps re-modeler. But without a particular endpoint in mind. I don’t have the “perfect living room design” in my game plan. More of a…Okay, this needs adjusting, and now that must be moved to accommodate the shift. It’s a whole remodeling dance.

You lead. I’ll follow. Then, let’s switch. Sort of a whirl. A flowing dance between partners. What a beautiful thing that must be, looking from above and beyond and before and after. An infinite ballroom of glittering gowns and flowing tales, in perfect procession, perfect rhythm, perfect balance. Divinely choreographed and moving freely. Unfettered. Unhindered.

From within my own dance, there may be a lot of awkwardness.  But, that’s probably just me trying not to step on my own toes. God is Lord of that dance and every other one on the floor. 1-2-3, 1-2-3.