The Christmas Gift

“What did you get for Christmas?”

I remember this question ringing through the classrooms in elementary school when you returned from Christmas break.  If you could bring it to school, it was in your backpack for recess or before and after school or in some cases during class.  If it was sweet new threads or new kicks, it was a must that you wear them that first day back.  Ah yes, the joy of showing off all the stuff you raked in for Christmas and marveling at what the other kids got. 

And of course, there were always those kids who wore the same old clothes and didn’t really answer or get in the conversations about what they got because they hadn’t gotten much, if anything.  There was always a part of me that felt bad for them, probably because as excited as I was going to school to show off my Christmas gifts, there seemed to always be so many kids that got so much more and it always bummed me out when kids would laugh at what I thought was a great gift, because they had gotten better stuff.

So it is no wonder that now as an adult, I find myself astonished at the amount of money, materialism, glamour and busyness that this season brings with it.  We create lists of what we “want” for Christmas, and most of us hope to get everything on the list or at least hint greatly at the thing or things we want the most.  We got so caught up in what we got as kids and often it seems now as adults we get caught up in what we give.  I on more than one occasion have been very proud of an expensive gift that I was giving, because I knew that they would love it and I would be the greatest gift-giver ever!  But ultimately gifts (whether given or received) seem to always be about what we get.

In all gifts, we forget what gift is the most incredible and greatest gift.
In all the “getting”, Jesus gets lost.

Sure we try and put the focus on Him.  We give our old clothes and toys to the Open Door Mission or “less fortunate people”.  We put up Nativity scenes, and play Christian hymns and carols.  We go to a Christmas Eve service, and spend the weeks leading up to Christmas celebrating Advent or learning about the real “Reason for the Season.”  Sometimes we even bake a birthday cake for Jesus and buy gifts for Jesus (which we give to those “less fortunate”).

But if we were to be honest about it, I think most of us would agree that Jesus is not the focus in our Christmas.

I was reminded of this the other day by my oldest daughter Faith.  Heather (my wife) told me this story and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.  At Faith’s preschool they are having a birthday party for Jesus, with cake and everything.  They asked each child to buy a present to give to Jesus.  So Heather went out and bought Roscoe the Dog for Faith to give.  (By the way, Roscoe is a pretty cool dog for any toddler to have.  I found myself scoping it out and thinking about playing with it on more than one occasion.)  So later that night, Heather told Faith that she had gotten Jesus’ present and showed her Roscoe.  Faith smiled and looked at her Mom and said:

“That’s cool Mom.  But I was going to give Jesus my heart.”

In the midst of all the business this Christmas season may we remember that we have been given the greatest gift ever.  It wasn’t on our Christmas lists or wrapped in pretty wrapping paper.  It wasn’t the best seller or must have of the season at the stores.  But it was the most costly gift and was by far the most beautiful gift. 

Thanks Faith for reminding Daddy that Jesus is the greatest gift ever and the only gift I could ever give is my heart.  May I live everyday with that in mind.

So What did you get for Christmas?

I got Jesus.