Make LOVE the Reason

 

(This thought is a repeat.  People request that ‘Christmas gift thing you wrote last year,’ each year, so here it is.)

My wife, Bev, is an amazing gift giver at Christmas. She thinks carefully about what is appropriate, how to delight the person receiving the gift. She prepares the gift in a most attractive way and then, presents it without fanfare. 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.  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. 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 sparkling diamond 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.  The latest ‘all in one remote control’ for entertainment center would be a fine gift, but if I bought that for my wife, she would 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.  And here 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 the truth that, "it is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35, NLT)

John says, "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!

________________

We Are The Reason  (click title to listen)

As little children

We would dream of Christmas morn

And all the gifts and toys

We knew we'd find.

But we never realized

A Baby born one blessed night

Gave us the greatest gift of our lives.

We are the reason

That He gave His life.

We are the reason

That He suffered and died.

To a world that was lost

He gave all He could give

To show us the reason to live.

As the years went by

We learned more about gifts,

The giving of ourselves

And what that means.

On a dark and cloudy day,

A Man hung crying in the rain;

Because of love, because of love!

I fin'lly found a reason for living-

It's in giving ev'ry part

Of my heart to Him.

In all that I do

Ev'ry word that I say,

I'll be giving my all
just for Him, for Him.

He is my reason to live!

David Meece

© 1980 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055