Gift Giving

Christmas is mostly a pitiful exposé of our hearts with regard to our giving. Some of the layers of corruption include phrases like, “well, it’s Christmas,” when we give to a beggar. Another is hidden in the extra gifts purchased so that if we are surprised by a gift we have one that we can pretend was for that giver. Then, there is the social injury of not having given as nice a gift to another as the one we received from them.

Suppose the culture demanded that no one could give a gift to someone who had given them one. Then we would have to defend our social honor by fighting to be the first to give.

Or, suppose that such a holy day as the Christ Mass didn’t exist. Would we then be free just to give each other gifts all through the year, purchased at the regular (day after Christmas) price, with no strings attached, just because we loved each other? Could we receive them with mere thanks over being loved?

How are we at giving to Jesus? How well do we receive His gifts to us? The way humanity treated Him while He was paying for their lives on the cross has been typical. What can we do today to change the exchange?