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He came into his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power fo become the sons of God, even those who believe on his name.
John 1:11-12

During my junior and senior years of high school, I was a stockboy at the Pathmark grocery store a few blocks from my home. Back then, Pathmark was the New York version of Ralphs; it was the largest grocery store in the region. The store I worked at was the biggest store on the busiest street in the most diverse neighborhood in the area, and I learned alot about life and business during those two years.

As stockboys, our primary responsibility was to make sure that the shelves remained replenished during our shift. Upon my arrival, I would receive a report of the most popular items, a tape gun, cutter, and push cart. My job was to check the report, then the shelves; retrieve the necessary items from the warehouse, transport them on the push cart to the proper aisle, open the boxes, label the food items and then arrange them neatly on the shelves. And then, repeat.

I got pretty good at my job. So good in fact, that after a few months I was promoted to work primarily in the warehouse. I was now in the receivables department. It was much more money, but it was also much more work.

Checking reports and shelves, retrieving items from the warehouse, transporting them on the push carts, opening boxes, labeling and arrange items neatly on shelves—that’s one thing. Taking gigantic boxes off of gigantic trucks in a cold, damp, gigantic warehouse—that was something entirely different. I really didn’t like that job, but I loved the lessons that I learned while doing it. The three biggest lessons I learned were that

The part of the store that you saw was entirely dependent on the part of the store that you didn’t see.
If we did not receive the merchandise, the store couldn’t sell it.
What’s in the box is more important that the box.

The success of any store depends on its ability to receive. Actually, so much of success in life depends on our ability to receive. But receiving is hard work—tiresome and often gruesome, but necessary.

Receiving compliments is hard work.

Receiving opportunities is hard work.

Receiving blessings is hard work.

Receiving is hard work because

It assaults our independence;
It exposes our deficiencies; AND
It raises our suspicions

Of these reasons, the latter may be most threatening. Receiving items off of a truck from a supplier that you have paid is one thing. That’s a simple transaction.

But receiving instructions, a compliment, an opportunity or blessing that we did not earn makes us fear the giver may have a hidden agenda. These suspicious are often well founded, born out of our experience with vicious, conniving people. But true blessings cannot be earned or purchased. They must be received. And many of us are on the verge of losing some great gifts because we have never learned to receive.

It is scary to consider that when God sent Jesus to redeem the world, many people missed the opportunity for a life changing experience because they did not receive him.

God is getting ready to back a truck up into your life.

I hope you’re ready to receive what he has for you.

The Receiving Department