Christmas gifts

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Many of us still have people on our gift list without a matching present! We will venture out to make our purchases motivated in many different ways. Consider these...

There is the CHEAP giver. He is driven by one goal - buying something, anything, that satisfies the imperative for gift giving - while spending as little money or energy as possible. My one question to this person is - "Why bother?" You have missed the meaning of Christmas entirely. Save yourself the effort because the person who receives your 'gift' will only be obligated to write an insincere 'thank you' note!

There is HURRIED giver. With hummingbird-like rapidity, she darts from store to store, grabbing this and that, checking off the names on her list. Obligation, not love, is the primary motivation for giving a gift, so most any gift will do, just get it and wrap it up.

There is the PAY MY DEBTS giver. This person foolishly believes that with one gift, usually one that costs way too much, he can make up for his failures through the year. Yes, it is particularly a 'man' thing! Men are much more likely, according to published reports, to overspend to compensate for misdeeds than women. But, the truth is, no single gift can erase a year's worth of inattention or emotional distance. This shopper is in for disappointment!

There is the "I'D SURE LIKE THAT" giver who buys things he would like to receive and presents them to others! His gifts are often very nice, but they don't 'fit.' Why? Because, his gifts are not thoughtfully chosen with the recipient in mind. Even his 'giving' reflects his preoccupation with himself. To me a 1 Gig USB Flash Drive is a fine gift, but if I buy one for my wife, she'll say, "What's this?" She has no use for it, and probably doesn't even know what it is.

And, there is the "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU" giver. Finally, we find the heart of Christmas! This person thinks carefully about the tastes, the needs, the personality of the person for whom he is getting a gift and, after a careful search, prepares a gift that he presents with no strings attached. This kind of giving reflects what the Bible says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35, NLT) This is how God gave to us. John says, that "God so loved the world (you could insert your name in place of 'the world') that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

God's Gift to us was costly, prepared from eternity, based on my need, and shaped by love! What a gift.

"Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:24, The Message)

In your gift-giving, make LOVE the reason. Having trouble finding a gift for someone on your list? Relax and think about who they are, what they need, and how you can express love in a language they'll understand. It will come to you!
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