The following was sent out as an email from my pastor.  I hope you get out of it what I did... 

I would like to share a quote with you I came across today concerning relationships:

Godly communication between friends involves sharing common interests, giving and accepting advice, giving and accepting criticism, and giving and accepting encouragement. A healthy relationship requires both giving and receiving, with the primary emphasis on the way of give.

Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive.  In the area of relationships this is also true.  Respect, confidence, a feeling of worth, companionship, fellowship are some mutual benefits of healthy relationships.  But these cannot be enjoyed if one does not give of them self and invest them self into the life of their friend. 

Too often relationships are one sided.  If the other side is giving in the way that causes us happiness, enjoyment, or makes have that “warm fuzzy feeling,” then we will be prone to give toward that relationship.  But if we do not experience those happy feelings then we tend to pull our resources.  What this quote is saying in essence:  It’s not about you.

On the flip side - I want to encourage those who are constantly giving of themselves and gain little return for their investment.  Scripture tells us that we will reap if we faint not.  Don’t loose heart.  Fulfill God’s command in loving your neighbor as yourself, or loving your wife as Christ loved the church, or loving your husband as is becoming to godly women, or loving your children.  The law of reciprocity also works in relationships!  Give and it will come back to you, pressed down, shakin’ together, and runnin’ over!

Can you imagine what would have happened if Jesus would have logically reasoned it out, knowing that the vast majority of mankind would reject Him throughout the centuries, and because of this knowledge decide not to come to be the Savior.  But this is not how it happened is it.  In spite of our sin, rebellion, selfish ambition, etc.  God became flesh and dwelt among us, suffered the humiliation of a trumped up trial and the cross.  This is a special kind of love - unconditional.  We have freely received it.  So let us freely give it