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#39 The Joy of Receiving(24/08/02) By Dr. Robert H. Schuller Somebody once said that the "haves" can be joyful because they "have it," because it is easy when you are on the receiving end. There may be a lot of truth to this statement. However, many "have-nots" are have-nots because they haven't learned how to receive. It's very threatening for insecure people to accept things given to them because what is given is usually evidence of life. This verse from John 1:12 sums it up: "And as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the power to become children of God." Think of human beings as we really are, designed not to be machines run by an operator, nor a computers programmed by engineers. We are not machines and we are not computers, we are not to be managed or manipulated. We are humans designed to be persons, which means we have the capacity to make choices. Making choices gets down to the matter of understanding how to manipulate your own gift of receptivity. Often, I silently pray on Sunday mornings as I look across to the congregation and think of the millions around the world who are listening to me. "Oh God, one thing I ask, make them receptive," I pray silently. The gift of receptivity is astonishing. Let me show you how it works. 1. Learn how to receive compliments. There is the joy of receiving compliments. There are lots of people don't have the capacity to receive compliments. They are humble and feel awkward and embarrassed when they are on the receiving end. Some of these people may have a negative self-image and don't give themselves enough credit. So recognition doesn?t come across to them as something they can easily handle. These are the people who say, "don't put my name in the bulletin or don't mention my name, or I don't really think I?m that good." People like these don't know how to receive compliments and this will be a negative factor in their lives. These people need to learn ways to affirm their self-acceptance so they can move to achieve those things that they would otherwise consider to be beyond their reach. it's important for these people to learn how to accept compliments. If you are one of these people, when you receive a compliment simply say, "Thank you." don't insult the person giving you the compliment by saying things like, "You don't really mean it," because, of course they do. Learn how to receive compliments. 1.Learn how to receive criticism. If you want to improve what you do -- because you know there's always room for improvement in everything we do -- welcome criticism. There's always a way to do things faster, smarter, sharper, brighter or more beautiful. Criticism that comes from your friends is always constructive. But, why is it so difficult to accept criticism? Let?s get to the root of the issue and show you how to be a truly open and receptive human. 2.Learn how to chart your course. Charting your course means to know where you should go and what you should do in different situations. It was amazing for me to hear during this service today how when Dr. W. French Anderson as a young student explained his concept of gene therapy in front of a group, he was ridiculed by all but one of the scientists in the room. Only one of his professors tapped him on the shoulder and said, "interesting idea." Wow! That positive comment charted his course! Had that esteemed gentleman joined the others and said "don't waste your time," what would have happened to so much talent? Most certainly, that young mind would have gone in another direction. But that didn't happen, and today this man is the Father of Gene Therapy and the leader of the fourth revolution in medicine. And no doubt about it, a very humble man. After you learn how to receive compliments and criticism and to chart your course, it's time for the next step. 3.Learn how to manage a crisis. We all have to deal with crisis at some point in our lives. The other day I was talking to a friend of mine, Steve Wynn. He is a hotel magnate and, like me, he?s into art and architecture. That?s why we are friends. Steve is very, very wealthy and a few years ago his daughter was kidnapped and held for ransom. It was big news at the time. Steve paid the ransom and she was released. The guilty people were caught and are now in prison. I said to Steve the other day, "I?ll ask you something I?ve never asked you before. What was it like when you got word that your daughter was being held for ransom?" "Panic," he answered me in one word. A crisis can generate, and very understandably so, a sense of panic. But, immediately we manage the panic by managing the crisis. A medical crisis or a financial crisis can cause the same kind of panic. Loosing your job or the break up of a relationship can also throw you into a panic attack. That is why it's so important for you to go to church every week. I hope you go to the kind of church where you can really get inspiration, encouragement, hope and positive thinking renewal every day of the week, because you never know when you are going to need it. That is why I always urge you to attend church regularly and do encourage your friends to do the same. A place of worship is a therapeutic place. 4.Learn how to handle conflict. How do you handle conflict? There are basic principles to follow when dealing with conflicts. Ask question, but don't make statements that generate anger and suspicion. We recently had an event here at the Crystal Cathedral campus, a meeting of C-A-M-P (Christians and Muslims for Peace.) During the dinner in the Arboretum, where we have a large cross, I asked Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, one of the leading Muslim leaders in the United States, how come as Muslims they had not asked us to cover or remove the cross? "it's not a problem to us," Dr. Siddiqi answered. "We knew when we were coming here that you are Christians. I think it's wonderful the way you tell the whole world that the cross should be looked upon as a positive symbol. Something that turns a minus into a plus! I just love that." The cross is the world?s greatest plus sign. Take a cross and turn it into a crown. Take an obstacle and turn it into an opportunity. Take an insult and turn it into a challenge. Do you know how to receive all of this? you'll learn through every compliment, criticism, guidance, advice, crisis, and conflict or cross. you'll learn through it all. you'll grow through it all. Then, if that?s the case, why aren?t more people receptive? It is a gift that God gives us as human creatures with souls and spirits. We are not just skin and bones, with hearts, livers and kidneys. We have souls and spirits, and you heard that come out so beautiful through what Dr. Anderson said today. But why aren?t people more receptive? Well, because it's very threatening to be an open and honest person. That means you expose yourself to a high level of vulnerability. What stands in the way to becoming a receptive person? Pride and prejudice to begin with. Think it through. We don't need to use up pages and pages to describe those feelings. Among all of the ego problems there is the motivation to think you already know everything. You have all the answers and they are all correct. That is called pride and prejudice. It takes an honest and humble person to be receptive. Another reason why some people are not more receptive is because of their ignorance. People who lack the training to be receptive are defensive. A defensive person is the opposite of a receptive person. it's easier to become a receptive person when you have a good basic education. I received such an education at Hope College and the first thing I was taught in school was to be critical of assumptions that are non-provable. The well-educated person develops a very sharp and critical mind. He or she will not buy blindly into any theory, into any faith or any ideology because he or she is taught to be critical. Now how can you be critical without becoming negative? Good question, because many people who are well educated have surrendered the creative part of their brain to the critical part of their brain. They say no to some great idea simply because they think it's impossible, and that is not very intelligent. If it is a great idea and it seems impossible, you just don't say, "No." You say, "But how?" When? What will it take? Why are people not more receptive? Pride and prejudice, ignorance and intelligence, and something else, love of freedom. So a lot of intelligent people say, "I don't want to lose my freedom! That is the one thing I don't want to give up." And all the other challenges distract them from opportunities that come along. Some of these people decide that they don't want to receive Jesus Christ because then He will become their Lord. These people think that once they accept Jesus, they have to start treating bad people nice, and not as badly as they think these bad people should be treated. They also don't want accept the Ten Commandments because they think it may limit their pleasures. "I want my freedom," is what they keep saying to themselves. When I was in Israel a few months ago, I had a wonderful meeting with Shimon Peres. We have developed a extremely warm and wonderful relationship because of our mutual interest in world peace. Peres told me something that I haven?t forgotten. He said, "We have to live and learn how to live in a world where there are borders and horizons." Boy, have I thought a lot about that! We see the horizon every day! Then there are the borders. How do we deal with these two? The borders, well they become our birdcage. We don't want to give up our freedom. don't let me live in a birdcage. Let me have total freedom. Nothing is worse than a life that?s totally free without any limits by conscience or ethics. There's a wonderful story about one of the greatest ornithologists of all times, Dr. Gustav Eriksson. Eriksson had this aviary and he worked there for years and years. He was of Scandinavian background and he loved classical music. He worked alone with those birds, studying them and doing research about them. Every morning, he would walk into the aviary and put on classical music. That went on day after day, for about 25 years. As he was getting older, he hired an assistant who was supposed to close the aviary every night. One night, the new assistant turned off the lights and the music and checked to see that all the windows and doors were closed. He must have overlooked something, because when Dr. Eriksson came in the next morning he found windows open and all the birds gone. So Eriksson switched on the lights, put on the classical music and turned up the volume. Then the most astonishing thing happened: all the birds started returning one by one drawn by the sound of the music. And every single bird returned after hearing the sound of the music. They had received a message and came back to a habitat that they knew was safe and secure. If you step out in freedom to run in any kind of a culture and any kind of belief system, remember there's music in the spheres. It is the music of the Creator, God. He is sending a message of music to us. He is inviting us to come home. Birdcage? No, home. Give up some of your freedom? Yes, but you'll gain other freedoms. When I was in college, once a month we would sing a hymn that had these words: Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free! Imprison me within Thine arms, and I shall a conqueror be. I sink in life's alarms, when by myself I stand. Imprison me in Your
love, and strong shall by my hand.
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