Give and Take

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” – Acts 20:35 Beware of what some pastors call “black holes”: people who continually take advantage of generous givers. These individuals never seem to stop asking, always taking without reciprocating. You might even have someone in mind who fits this description. It’s important to set boundaries—you don’t have to enable this kind of behavior. Adam Grant, in his excellent book “Give and Take,” describes this personality type in detail. Grant explains that, in life, there are three types of people: takers, exchangers, and givers. Takers are those who are always on the receiving end, rarely giving back. Exchangers keep score—if they give someone a meal, they expect to receive