Take and Eat

48x36" oil and mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas

Nearly a decade ago, I met a friend who taught me how to take.

Let me explain.

This dude blew me away with his generosity. I had never met anyone—and don’t think I have since—so open-handed and willing to give. It’s as if the very life is flowing out of him at all times, yet it never seems to run out.

That radical freedom to give was evident from the moment I met him. What took a few days longer to notice, though, was his extraordinary freedom to ask and to receive.

At that point I had interacted with some pretty selfless people in my life, but I never knew that such a degree of self-gift could exist without a wave of guilt rushing over when it came time to receive from another. (Ever heard a conversation like this? “No, really, you take it. “No, you should have it.” “I don’t mind.” “I couldn’t possibly...” etc., ad nauseum)

My friend knows how to give, but boy does he also know how to ask for what he wants. He’s not shy about asking you for some fries off of your plate at lunch or getting your help to pull a friendly prank on his roommate...but that’s another story.

The point is, something about that willingness to receive from others surprised me, but also struck me as being really healthy in the context of his character.

Recently, I’ve been asking God to teach me to be like my friend David. I can give everything I have, but if my gift is not coming from a place of openness and receptivity to the love of the Father, I will continually see-saw between feeling bitter because I’m giving too much, and feeling anxious because it seems that what I give is never enough.

This painting is about leaving behind shame and fear, and taking that first brave step to reach out and receive—to take and eat.