1979) I read an excellent article about human behavior that  stuck with me. It was about difficult relationships between parents and their adult kids. The psychologist described a woman who was “stuck” emotionally because her father didn’t give her what she needed psychologically in her growing-up years. I can’t remember the example the doctor pointed out to the woman, but it was something like this: give me 5 100-dollar bills and she replied she didn’t have it. The psychologist leaned back and stated, you can’t give something you don’t have. The woman realized the connection of this statement with her father.

Ephesians 4:32 asks God’s children to give out kindness, be tenderhearted and forgive. Paul then goes on to say you can do this because God gave it to you by the forgiveness Jesus made possible on the cross.  

I think we can take the psychologist’s observation and apply it here. We cannot give away kindness, tenderness and forgiveness if we don’t have it from God. I think we can also take it another step forward. We cannot give these things if we don’t have a realization of the value these hold for God’s children in what it cost Jesus.  

Can you give these three things to others?