Giving Gifts on Christmas
Sacrificial Giving on Christmas?
I was reading an article about giving. It was a secular article and did not have anything to do with Christmas. The article was about this woman who learned from one of her friends, who lived on an Indian reservation, about giving of what you have, that is, a treasured material item. The concept behind this was that people tend to become tied to their material possessions. And while this was a secular article and had nothing to do with Christianity or religion, I kept thinking as I read the article what is it that we do when we celebrate the birth of our Savior? We give gifts to each other. We go out and shop and purchase items that we believe the recipient of our gift will like and enjoy. I am not saying that Christians do not center their attention around Christ but giving each other store bought gifts does not focus the attention on our Redeemer. As I pondered these thoughts, I thought about the gift we have received and the cost of this gift. To say HIs sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice is the understatement of the ages. Jesus is God in the flesh, the Word made flesh. Our human vocabulary does not contain words to express what He sacrificed for us. God gave His only begotten son so that we may have eternal life. (John 3:16)
What does this have to do with the secular article I read? In contemplating the gifts we give each other, what is it that we really give up? We go to the store and purchase something for another. Yet the article I read made me ponder about what we are doing. The woman in the article spoke about a pair of earrings she cherished. She really loved those earrings. Her best friend’s sister was laid up in bed with cancer. Instead of purchasing something pretty for her friend’s sister, she gave the woman her cherished earrings. Before she was married to her husband, she and her husband to be took a woodworking class and made a table together. It was the only item that they made together and it was something they treasured. After seven years of marriage, her husband’s cousin was getting married. She talked her husband into giving the table to his cousin (no easy task). His cousin had admired the table on many occasions. There were other examples but the point I’m trying to make is that the gifts that she gave were a sacrifice. Going to the store and purchasing a gift if not really a sacrifice. We are not giving a gift to our loved one something that we treasure, there is no sacrifice.
A favorite scarf that a friend admires would be a sacrifice and would have more meaning to the receiver than purchasing a brand new scarf at Macy’s. When we donate to Good Will, we are giving away our items that we no longer want. There is no sacrifice in that. I’m trying to make sense out of what we do to celebrate His birth.
Jesus told the rich man that in order to be saved, he must sell all he has and give to the poor. The rich man was saddened and was unwilling to do so. The sacrifice was too much for he had much. Jesus is not commanding us to sell all we have and give it away but He is asking us to be willing to give it up if He asked us. During this time of year that we celebrate His birth, we do not give up what we hold dear to us but instead, go out and purchase new items so that the receiver of our gift is pleased. We keep our treasured items for ourselves.
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Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:21-22 (ESV)
I’m left wondering if our gift giving to each other really honors the sacrifice He made by sending His only begotten Son to us. I’m wondering if we should be giving each other items that are a bit more dear to our hearts which is more of a sacrifice than hitting the shopping centers looking for that perfect gift that will please the person who will be receiving our gift.
I have no answers but these are thoughts I ponder as we get ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord and the sacrifice He ultimately made for us so that we may have the gift of salvation.
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Tishrei,
With gift giving, there are as many answers as there are people and situations….. Some gifts don’t involve money or things — just some loving and caring.
Margaret
True — I was just thinking about the “norm” of what happens during this season. I was not trying to change anything and I don’t have the answers — just musing about what I read.
can I ask questions or do I have to read and agree with you?
Hi Tara, yes you may ask questions and no, you do not have to agree with me. If anyone who sees your question that has an answer is also free to answer you — and if I know the answer, I will answer it too.
Thanks for stopping by.
While I agree with Margaret about the many different dimensions of giving, and find the examples in your post more narrow than I’d adopt, I VALUE examination of the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of our lives – of my life. Thank you for reminding us to THINK and PURPOSE accordingly!
Hi Tami,
I guess I am a bit misunderstood in this post. I was not advocating adopting these guidelines — I was just kind of musing about what I read. I honestly don’t know the answer or even if there really is a question that needs an answer. It was just something that came to me and gave me food for thought as I read that article.
I ‘muse’ a lot, LOL.
Great topic post! At work just today a women and I were talking aboput this.
She said ” well Jesus was given gifts so gift giving should be part of christmas.
I don`t know either. All I know is that I am grateful for the most important gift ever given, Jesus Himself. ( sorry for not alaborating, been a long day)
Thanks. Honest, I wasn’t trying to get people to change how they do things. My blog is where I muse my thoughts as well and after reading that article, I just started thinking about how we do things.