WHEN I STOP TO THINK ABOUT MY DESIRE TO GIVE, IT'S EASY TO REALIZE THAT THE PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE ONLY SYMBOLIZE MY LOVE FOR MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS. THEY POINT TO THE DESIRE TO GIVE, TO SERVE, TO MAKE THEM SMILE. I WANT TO TANGIBLY SHOW THEM HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO ME AND HOW MUCH I CHERISH THEM.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO SHOW THEM THAT. PAUL REMINDS US IN ROMANS 12 THAT BY GOD'S GRACE WE'VE BEEN GIVEN DIVINE GIFTS TO SHARE WITH OTHERS, THESE ABILITIES TO SERVE, TO TEACH, TO ENCOURAGE, TO GIVE GENEROUSLY, AND SHOW MERCY. ALTHOUGH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY OR THE NEW SHIRT MAY BE NICE GESTURES THAT YOUR KIDS AND YOUR SPOUSE MIGHT WANT, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS NEED MORE THAN THIS THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON AND ALL YEAR.
AND SO DO YOU! COME JANUARY THEY WON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THEY UNWRAPPED FROM YOU. BUT THEY WILL REMEMBER THE TIME THAT YOU SPENT WITH THEM, YOUR JOYFUL SPIRIT AS YOU WELCOMED THEM INTO YOUR HOME, YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AS YOU LISTENED TO THEIR BURDENS OVER A CUP OF TEA OR YOUR LATTE.
THEY WILL REMEMBER THE CARD GAME THAT YOU PLAYED WITH THEM INSTEAD OF CLEANING UP THOSE DIRTY DISHES. WHATEVER LOVING ACTION GOD PROMPTS YOU TO DO THIS SEASON, DON'T SHRUG IT OFF AS UNIMPORTANT. HONOR IT AS THE GOOD DIVINE GIFT THAT IT REALLY IS.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THOSE WILL BE THE BEST GIFTS YOU GIVE AND RECEIVE THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THESE GIFTS ARE THE ONES THAT NEVER FADE!
