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December 20, 2019
Jesus said:
Jesus said:
"I have come that they may have life,
"I have come that they may have life,
and have it abundantly"
and have it abundantly"
John 10:10 (NAS)
Gift Giving as Art
Gift Giving as Art
Love it or hate it, gift giving has become part of our regular Christmas routine. Many of us see this as a daunting task.
Others, however, see gift giving as an art. They approach it with passion, seeking the perfect gift for each individual. These gift givers love watching faces light up as they open their gift.
For the recipient, these moments are not just about the joy from receiving this perfectly planned gift, but from realizing that someone knows them so intimately and put forth so much thought and effort that they were able to craft this experience just for them. Maybe it wasn't anything on their wish-list, maybe it wasn't anything they ever said they would want, but when they receive it, they can't imagine any other gift being more perfect.
If this sounds exciting to you, Gift Giving just might be one of your top love languages. If not, you may know someone like this.
Who is the best gift giver you know?
What is the best gift you've ever been given?
God is the Greatest Gift Giver
God is the Greatest Gift Giver
These wonderful moments are something to cherish, and are a great reminder of the greatest gift ever received: The gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. God knows you so perfectly and so intimately; He spent time creating you, thinking about you, and longing for a deeper relationship with you. All of this love and attention led Him to send the perfect gift for you, for me, and for everyone: Jesus Christ. This is why we celebrate His birth every year.
This is the greatest gift from God, but it is not the only gift from Him. When James 1:17 says "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above..." this reminds us that God continually gives to us and that, in fact, any and every good thing is a gift from God. God is not just giving to mankind generally, but also to each and every individual to ever live. This personal giving of good gifts shows His care, love, and attention to you, personally, along with everyone else.
How Do We Become Great Gift Givers?
How Do We Become Great Gift Givers?
So, how do we give like God? Obviously, we are not all powerful or all knowing, so we can't read people's minds or miraculously make a Tesla appear for everyone on our list. We can seek to love like God, though.
Give Like God
Give Like God
"We love, because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19 (NAS)"We love, because He first loved us."
GIVE RELATIONALLY
GIVE RELATIONALLY
Get to know them better! This should always be the first step. sure, most everyone would appreciate a Starbucks gift card, but that's easy and impersonal and we all know it. Before you know what the gift is, you must know who the person is.
A great way to do this is to ask questions: What is their favorite sport, team, hobby, or food? What is going on in their life right now? Is there something they need? What do they like to do in their free time? What do they hope to accomplish next year?
Never be ashamed to admit that you don't know someone as well as you would like to.
GIVE UNEXPECTANTLY
GIVE UNEXPECTANTLY
Give freely, without expecting anything in return. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)
God's gift to us was with great cost and without expectation of a return gift. Which is a good thing, because we could never even come close to matching that gift. God gave up the life of His Son to draw us into closer relationship with Him. Our goal in giving a good gift should be to deepen our relationship with someone. If that is our only expectation, then the next step will be easy.
GIVE JOYFULLY
GIVE JOYFULLY
2 Corinthians 9:7 says for us to give "not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." In fact, every good gift God gives is given joyfully. That may be a mouthful to say out loud, but that doesn't make it any less true.
The truth is, when we give relationally and give unexpectantly, giving joyfully should be our natural state. Your goal is not to receive, but to give freely to someone you care about and to grow in that relationship. If this is true, you will be happy to have accomplished this goal and happy to give a good gift.
With this in mind, we pray your gift giving this year will be done in a way that reflects and celebrates God's love for you.
Sam Davis has focused on international student ministry since 2010 and is on staff with Cru and Bridges International in San Diego, CA. His passion for leading others into a close relationship with Jesus is shown in his general love for people and focus on discipleship.
Sam and his wife, Gloria, love to travel, meet people, eat great food, and hike.
Thanks to my brother, Timothy C Davis, for helping me write this article.
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