Tis the season of gift-giving for sure. At the same time, while we may be in the midst of a myriad of shopping challenges—supply chain shortages, lack of selection or none at all, higher prices, extra-long ship dates and so forth—the desire to give gifts at Christmas remains as strong as ever. Maybe, in some cases, even stronger than last year as 2020 was the year of tiny or non-existent gatherings.
As I have been blessed with many Christmases [hopefully, many more to come], I have learned an important lesson about giving that may seem so obvious, however, is one we can forget.
Be the gift.
We can gift in many ways, however, one sure way to make the recipient light up with joy is to make the choice to listen and observe—pick up on the otherwise small details that let us know what would be most pleasing. In other words, our gifts mean much more when we are attuned to what the other desires rather than our personal likes or dislikes.
It is not uncommon to give from the perspective of what we like. For example, if I were to gift my family members with that rational, they’d be swimming [pun intended] in all-things-ocean. Bowls of shells. Water paintings. Beach towels. Lighthouse models. Water, water, everywhere.
I recall years ago a family member gave me a small, brown teddy bear that sits on our bed to this day. I didn’t have one as a child and this gift meant so much. However, that was after I found the courage to hint louder to this same well-intentioned person who had given me dozens [yes dozens] of frogs of all manner, shape, size, and form over time. Even if I adored frogs [nothing against these helpful amphibians] there were too many, on display and stored away in boxes.
While purchased gifts can be a wonderful blessing—food, clothing, entertainment, electronics and on and on—we cannot overestimate the value of gifts of service. Serving others can be a great way to be the gift.
In this regard, do you have a habit of overlooking or minimizing what is special about you as a vessel through whom God can bless others? If you tend to that kind of behavior, you might want to reconsider. Why?
There’s only one you. Maybe you’re an excellent seamstress. An awesome baker. An incredible pray-er. A delightful babysitter. A whiz with a paint roller. An artist with a camera. A master with a saw and a piece of wood. And I know those are only a few of the unique gifts present among our family and friends.
To be the gift by taking the time to discover what others would enjoy also involves another important point.
Be generous without breaking the bank.
No doubt about it, all kinds of stuff is expensive this year. If anything, prices continue to increase. The temptation to overspend is huge and the ‘pressure’ to compete with the neighbors, the peer group, even the family, can drag us down a very expensive road.
At the same time, it’s important that we not break the bank of our human resources either. There are finite limits to our energy, our time, and our availability. Neither financial ruin nor physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion is healthy for anyone.
The holidays can be a challenge for a variety of reasons.
Maybe a bit of an adjustment in the way we think about gift-giving can prevent a fair amount of stress and provide us with an abundance of blessings to share and savor with one another. And in the process, give us the time, energy, and attentiveness we need to keep our eyes on the most important gift and gift-giver of all—Jesus.
How do I feel about being the gift?
What does ‘be the gift’ mean to me?
Can I ask God to help me be the gift He has called me to be?
