A season (a life) of giving

By John Fischer

The holidays are here and gift giving once again moves to center stage. It’s easy to become cynical about this because of the over-commercialization of Christmas, but, as always, there is truth hidden in the bright lights, the colorful boxes, and the rush of shoppers bringing home their treasures.

Where did all this gift giving come from anyway if it didn’t come from God? No, God and Macy’s are not in cahoots; it’s just that God started it all. God in heaven gave us the most perfect gift for all seasons, his only Son, who brought light to the world and forgiveness of sins through his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. But it doesn’t stop there. His is a gift that keeps on giving. It keeps on giving because his life is born in all who believe, and his presence in the world is perpetuated by the spiritual gifts he gives all believers by which we reach out to those around us.

Think about it: A big, beautifully wrapped box arrives for each one of us from God himself – a personal gift with our name on it. Inside is a special gifting through which we can touch the people around us by way of the words we say and the things we do. It’s called our “spiritual gift” but it’s really a kind of gifting that enables us to do something for someone else. This puts a whole new slant on gifts, whatever the season.

I can remember Christmases growing up where I would arrange all my gifts neatly into a pile on my bed after all the presents were opened. It was always a smaller pile than I anticipated, but it was mine nonetheless. Christmas, in spite of the joy and excitement, was always a little bit of a disappointment because the gifts ran out. There was always the last gift – nothing more to open. My gifts stopped with what I could play with (until it broke) or what I could wear.

But God gives gifts that help us become givers as well. That’s a big difference. His gifts to us enable us to turn around and enrich others. Gifts like mercy, faith, encouragement, wisdom, knowledge, healing, and discernment flow out of the brightly colored packages we unwrap every day from our Father. These are not gifts we pile up on our bed and look at. These are gifts that perpetuate the life of Christ in us. And they keep on giving for the rest of our lives, or as long as we use them.

This season, if you are able, give a gift that will warm a heart, but don’t forget the gifts we have from our Father that keep on giving all year long, and be just as intentional about receiving and giving those as well. What do you have, and who can you give it to?