What Christmas Means to Me - Giving

That’s What Christmas Means to Me: Giving
Part IV of V
***
Christmas is a time of giving. It’s also a time for gift giving. The giving of Christmas gifts is deeply rooted in our culture. At one time, the early Christian Church attempted to ban the custom. The movement met with so much resistance, that the Church relented. Instead, the Church looked for ways to integrate the practice of giving gifts into the Christian Faith. So, early Christian leaders justified the practice by noting the presentation of gifts from the Magi to the baby Jesus.

The best gifts this Christmas will not come in a nicely wrapped box, with a ribbons and a shiny bow. No, the best presents this Christmas will come from the heart. There are two types of presents that come from the heart. The first is material. They are presents that we make for others with the talents that God has bestowed upon. These presents have emotional value, which far outweigh the value of a store bought present. The second is spiritual. They are the presents that come in the form of action; the giving of yourself.

This Christmas you can give of yourself by visiting the elderly, feeding the poor, praying for the sick, volunteering your time, donating to a charity, spending time with someone hurting, or assisting those in need; just to name a few. In the words of Kahlil Gibran, "You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."

When you give of yourself, you’re giving from the heart. When giving is truly from the heart, and with no expectation of something in return, a paradoxical relationship develops. You see, the more you give, the more you get. Now, I don’t mean getting material possessions, I mean receiving a spiritual gift. Hence, it really is true that it’s in giving that you receive. When you give of yourself, you receive personal satisfaction, peace of mind and more importantly, the grace of God.

Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
This Christmas, the best present you can give to someone else is the gift of yourself; no fancy paper, curly ribbons or shiny bows, just you!

Christmas is about giving! And, that’s what Christmas means to me!
***
It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!