1-my dad delegated wrapping presents to me as a kid for someone's birthday "because I could do it so nicely". I probably couldn't do it that great then, but it made me feel proud and every chance I got after that I wrapped presents. Over the years I've gotten pretty good.
2-Gifts is one of my top love languages (from the book "The 5 Love Languages"). Giving gifts is a way I show people I love them and getting gifts makes me feel loved. I don't need anything nice; a 4 year old giving me a flower he picked, my husband buying me chocolate cinnamon bears for $4, my niece giving me her old pillowcase. I don't care what it is, as long as it's given to me in love. Wrapping presents is preparing to give a gift. Even if it's not me giving the present, I get "wrapped" up in the excitement and feel like I'm sharing love with both the giver and the receiver.
The reality is it's probably both--a mix of the pride my dad instilled in me and my love of gifts and giving them (Giving is my favorite part).
Today I wrapped presents for my nephews. My mil hates wrapping, I love wrapping, so I was delegated the task. It didn't matter that I'm not the giver. Wrapping all of those presents really got me in the spirit of Christmas. I can just see the little boys' faces light up and their Granny grinning at their reaction. Love will be shared and I was just a small part of it by wrapping the presents.
That's what Christmas is all about: sharing Love. Families sharing love with each other, friends sharing love, even complete strangers who are kinder and more giving than usual. Most importantly it's about the Love between us and our Savior.
About 2000 years ago He was born in a lowly manger. 33 years later He was killed on the cruel cross. Today He stands supreme as Lord and King of all. In 2 days it's the celebration of His birthday. We share gifts with each other representing the gifts given to Him and the gifts He gives us.
This train of bought got me thinking about what I would give Him if I could. What physical thing would I wrap and put under the tree for Him?
When I was a little kid I would have given him one of the kittens, or my favorite teddy bear, or my precious, extra special, baby blanket. As I got older it would have been my (sister's) Christy doll. But as I've gotten older those things don't seem like the thing to give Jesus. As a kid they meant the world to me, so giving them was giving Him my most important things.
Things like that just don't mean as much to me now. I would be sad to lose my car, but I would do without. Same with my phone, computer, video games, bed, and even my books. So what would I give to Jesus if He came to visit on Christmas?
After a lot of thought I decide what I'd but under the tree for Him. In a perfectly wrapped box would be my mom's ring that my dad gave me when I moved to Arizona.
The little gold ring I now wear on my right hand means so much to me. It is a symbol of everything my mom gave me, especially her love. It is a reminder of how much my dad loves me. It is a symbol of my parents marriage and the combined love that is found in an eternal family. It is an expression of all that I have in common with my mom, including her talents. It brings me peace. By giving it to Christ, I would be giving Him something I would dearly miss. I'd be giving Him the best I have to offer, not because it costs the most--my car costs a lot more--but because it means the most to me.
Jesus isn't asking me for my ring. Matter of fact, if I were to actually give it to Him, He'd probably clean it off and hand it back better than it was before. Being willing to give it is enough. So even though I want to give Him a physical present, the best present I can give Him is being willing to give Him my best, whatever that best is. And the way we show our willingness to give to Jesus at Christmas is by giving our best to our loved ones and our neighbors (in the sense Christ used neighbor).
This Christmas I'm giving my best. I'm not going to give anyone my mom's ring, but I'm a really good present wrapper, so I'll do the best I can wrapping presents for my mil. I'll give my best by being kind to the person who has made my life difficult. I'll even give my best by buying something special for my niece with my personal spending money; not because it's expensive, but because it's my way of signifying that she is more important to me than whatever I was going to buy for myself.
My best is different from your best, but we all have a best. Whether your best is quality time with family members, giving to a charity, touching souls with your testimony, sharing your beautiful voice, or anything else. Give Jesus Christ a birthday/Christmas present by giving others your best.
"And [Jesus] shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (KJT Holy Bible, Matthew, Chapter 25, Verse 40)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please be respectful of others' opinions.