Here’s what I hate: when gift-giving stresses me out.
Gifts gifts gifts. I know you are either rushing home from the mall or knee-deep in gift bags and wrapping paper right about now. ‘Tis the season, right!? Ohmygoodness, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed with what to get, getting it on time, wrapping it, delivering it, etc. etc. I always forget to get gifts for key people like the mail man and my daughter’s dance instructors. My sister-in-law Jennie and my friend Michelle always remember to get a little sweet-perfect something for everyone they come in contact with. Even when I get super organized and make a big list and check it twice, I STILL forget someone or get things too late or get the wrong thing. It’s all very sad because I truly do want to give nice gifts to people.
Just a few days ago, I was standing in my kitchen slaving away over my 3rd batch of homemade Chocolate Rum Truffles. I had intended to give some “easy” no-bake sweets--(you know, the kind of thing that only requires melting and stirring)--to all of our neighborhood friends this year. However, after my first two batches of truffles were a big, fat FAIL, I had to cut back on who actually received them. (This was due to a measurement error which I will not discuss at this time.) The first tragedy of gift giving is that we can’t always give everything we want to everyone we want to.
But, as I got deeper and deeper into this truffle-making, I began second-guessing my decision to give these and the other sweets I was assembling. What if they are allergic to nuts? What if they don’t like chocolate? What if they don’t like rum? Then, I literally had this thought: God was lucky in sending the super-awesome gift of His son—He knew that it was just the right thing for everyone at just the right time and that Jesus is what everyone needed. That’s right, I envied God for having the perfect gift idea…for the entire world. Seconds later, it hit me: Um, except that not everyone was happy about His gift. In fact, more than a few people misunderstood the gift or hated it so much that they actually spit upon the gift and finally attempted to destroy it. Okay, okay, so, there is always the possibility that the recipient will not like the gift.
But, whether the recipient likes the gift or not, we still desire to give—to show we care. I want for people to feel loved when they receive a gift from me. I definitely want for my girls to be happy on Christmas morning. They’ve asked for very specific things and it’s easy to fulfill their requests. Which reminds me of an interesting exchange we had with Alexis last Sunday. After church, as we were walking out, both girls were chanting that they wanted to eat lunch at PeiWei. “Pei Wei, Pei Wei, Pei Wei!” They cheered in unison. Bill and I both like Pei Wei, we had the money, we didn’t have anywhere we had to be, so we said, “sure!” “Yay!!!” shouted our happy daughters. Then, Alexis continued with: “You are the best parents ever!!!”
Sure, when we are giving them exactly what they want exactly when they want it, they consider us to be good—even great—parents. However, you can be sure that if we had said “No” to their request, we would have gotten an earful of groans and whining: “But, Whyyy-eeee?”
I’m sure you can see the parallel…When we ask God for something and get it right away, we remark: “Wow, God is awesome!” BUT, if the answer is “No” or even “Maybe next time.” Or “Not now.” Then, we groan and whine. “But Whyyy-eeee?”
Just as we have reasons for making the choices we do for our children, God is an even better parent. He gives THE perfect gift—Emmanuel: God with us. Which now translates into: The Holy Spirit. Even if the answer is “No” to other things we’ve been begging for, the Holy Spirit is there to comfort us and often, help us understand. Sometimes, I don’t think that we grasp what a great and perfect gift this is... It’s as if we had asked for a toy mobile phone and received the latest iPhone free with a free service plan and free upgrade for eternity. Or as if we’d asked for a DVD and received a private screening of the movie with all the lead actors plus royalties. Or—it would be like asking for this month’s rent and receiving a castle complete with staff to go with it. Whatever we think we need or want, the Holy Spirit is better. Sometimes it’s not so “sunshine and rainbows” though—sometimes it’s as though we’ve asked for candy and received broccoli instead. (You do see the reason that might be good even if it doesn’t feel good though, right?)
I hope you’ll stop right now and listen for His voice. Seek Him and you will find Him—right here, waiting to fill you up, help you out, comfort you, or encourage you, change you, or remind you of His love. His love for you began before the Baby in the straw and continues as close as your heartbeat—and for all eternity for those who believe.
Merry Christmas friends.
Luke 11:11-13
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
James 1:17
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.
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