Christmas is not about the gifts, or is it? Every year, as December 25th approaches, I hear some form of the statement “Christmas is not about the gifts”. There are several articles addressing the subject. Here are some of the titles I found:
Six Reasons not to give Gifts this Christmas.
Nine Fool Proof Excuses for not Buying Christmas Gifts
Christmas is about Christ, not Gifts
Christmas with no Presents
Let’s not Mall each other this Christmas
Often, when people make ‘the statement”, they are protesting the commercialization of Christmas. Some feel pressure to spend money they simply don’t have. Some enjoy the gift giving, but the drive to find ‘the perfect gift’ is overwhelming. Some stress because their gift list is full of extended family members they hardly even know. Others resent buying gifts because they are only giving to keep from feeling guilty. (If you give me or my family members a gift, and I don’t give one too, then I feel bad.)
In light of the inward or outward pressure many feel about gifts, it is understandable so many would say “Christmas is not about the gifts.” Yet, I must strongly challenge this view because:
Christmas in many ways is precisely about the gifts!
Obviously, Christmas is not about the gifts we can accumulate. It’s not about the perfect tie or the new television or any other material things we may desire or receive. It’s not about the excess much of our culture has come to expect. Christmas is Christmas because of the greatest gift ever given to the world! God unselfishly sent His perfect son into an imperfect world with one mission in mind: To redeem mankind!
God did not send Jesus into the world out of obligation. Neither did He send Jesus into the world because we deserved his help. Mankind did not deserve or appreciate ‘the Gift’.
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He even gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (John AMP) We have Christmas today, because of God’s love.
There is no better way to honor the most important arrival the world has ever known than to pay it forward. This year let’s make Christmas about the gift of love. Here’s my Christmas prayer:
God help every gift I give to be motivated by love. May every present I share be wrapped in love. Help me to be wise enough not to allow presents to become more important than giving time and attention to those I love. And may I gracefully receive gifts from others instead of making it all about me. Help me to appreciate the love others give me and not to compete or complicate the simplicity of the meaning of Christmas. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Merry Christmas!
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