Here it is nearing mid-December and I’ve hardly begun to do
any Christmas shopping. Frustration sets in and I ask myself why shop at all.
Who needs what? Maybe that’s the wrong question. Maybe I should ask who still
hasn’t got what? What does “need” have to do with it?
In my house we already have too much stuff. Buying my wife
more stuff means getting rid of some still perfectly usable stuff to make room
for the new stuff. My children are out on their own and quite capable of buying
for themselves any stuff they want when they want it which they do. Buying them
more stuff leaves me wondering what stuff would they want versus resent if they
had to fake an appreciation for stuff they now have to decide what they will do
with it after I am out of sight!
Do I lose what little hair I have left trying to decide what
to give whom? Do I try to find out in a sneaky way what they would really like
without sounding like I am fishing for a suggestion? Do I just go on and buy
everyone a gift certificate to places where the stuff they can buy will be all
used up or eaten in a few days, weeks, or months? That is one way to deal with
stuff.
Eat the gift. It’s gone. Read the gift and then give it
away. It’s gone. Plant the gift (in my case) and when winter comes, it’s dead.
It’s gone. There are ways to deal with certain kinds of stuff. Some are more
practical than others.
Why do we give a gift at Christmas? Do we give because
someone needs what we can give? Do we give because we need to give to relieve
some inner compulsion? Do we give because we have so much we have to give it to
someone else? Do we give because that is a simple act that says we remember and
we care?
When God expressed his ultimate love for mankind by giving
us a part of himself, Jesus Christ (John 3:16), he hoped there would be a
response, but he didn’t require it. He loved us and gave us a part of himself to
reveal how desperate he was to restore the broken relationship between Creator
and creature. He gave us the Gift because he knew we needed it. He gave us the
Gift because it was something we needed and could not provide for ourselves.
That is really a pretty good reason for giving a gift at any time.
How would your Christmas look this year if every gift you
gave went to two recipients? The thing of stuff went to a person who needed it
but couldn’t provide it for themselves. The note of appreciation went to a
person whom you admire, respect, or love saying that a gift was given in their
name to a most worthy recipient, be it person or organization. How would you
feel if you received such a note?
I love to eat out, but my age and physique say that I should
do it a lot less. I love to garden, but you can only do so much on a twenty
square foot plot. I love to work in a wood shop, but time is against me. Yet to
get a note in the mail, perhaps a pretty Christmas card, telling me that a gift
had been given to one of my favorite charities in my name would bring tears to
my eyes and probably send them cascading down my cheeks.
I’ll probably send my elderly parents a small box of
chocolates (stuff easily shared). My wife and sons are still on the question
list. For myself I think I’ll offer a couple of suggestions for favorite
Christian music group cds and a listing of my favorite charities. Knowing that
someone who really needs stuff got it because of what someone else thought of
me would make my Christmas complete. I cannot think of a better reason to give.
