Mark 10:45
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” NIV
Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” NIV
Giving and receiving gifts can be a good and bad experience. When you receive a gift that you know someone really put thought into it makes you feel appreciated and loved. When you receive that irrelevant gift it can make you feel unappreciated most definitely disappointed. You know the type of gifts I am talking about, socks, dishes, ornaments, ties, or picture frames.
Kids are the most honest of people. When they tear open a beautifully wrapped gift only to find underwear or socks you can see the disappointment on their faces. Why? They were hoping for some cool toy, something flashy, something that requires batteries! Not socks, not something practical and boring. They had dreams of something different for their Christmas morning.
My family has decided this year instead of giving gifts to each other we are going to give life to the less fortunate. We are giving to help people in Uganda and Burma through Global Refuge. Global Refuge is a ministry that meets the practical needs of malnourished, HIV infected, hurting people in places most of us will never see or even hear of. On a normal year my kids and their cousins receive great gifts from their Grandparents. However, this past Thanksgiving they decided that this year would be different. They asked if the money that would have been spent on their gifts to go directly to these remote places where the forgotten and less fortunate suffer greatly. This will be a Christmas they will never forget.
Most people who open presents on Christmas this year will not be thinking about the real reason for giving gifts. They will not be thinking about the real reason Christians give each other gifts, Jesus. He is the gift.
The other day I was thinking about Christmas and the thought hit me: “What does Jesus want for his birthday this year?” I wrote down a few of the gift ideas he told me he would like:
My heart…My faith… My loyalty… My future… My guilt… My worship…My relationships…My past…My anxiety…My goals & aspirations… My hands and feet to go wherever he would send me…
What would represent socks, ties and picture frames to Jesus this Christmas? Probably something like Religious behavior, dutiful worship, and a few bucks in the offering plate.
I don’t think he wants socks, ties, or even picture frames, he wants us.
As you think about what you are going to give Jesus for Christmas this year I leave you with what I think He wants from us this Christmas.
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. Amen.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. Amen.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. Amen.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.
And the Blessing of God, who Creates, Redeems and Sanctifies, be upon you and all you love an pray for this day, and forever more. Amen.
A Franciscan Blessing
