In reading a blog from a friend of mine, I was prompted to put a few thoughts on the screen about Christmas - and our propensity to buy gifts for ourselves and others. I used the analogy of going to a birthday party for someone else, and buying a gift that is for you... or someone who is not even at the birthday party. That seems strange doesn't it? But we do that very thing when we 'celebrate' Jesus' birthday - we buy gifts for ourselves or others and say, "Christmas is about giving gifts!" BULL HOCKEY! Christmas is not about gifts! It is about the Savior of the World, God Himself coming to live among us - in order that we might be saved.
Is that a gift? Oh you know it is. Does it resemble anything that we make Christmas to be? Oh you know it is not!. Now I'm not a Scrooge - far from it. Several years ago while in seminary, a family sent us money to use for our Christmas. Without it, we would not have had a Christmas at all. That same year, someone sent us a card saying that 4 goats, 2 rabbits and a gaggle of geese had been sent to a family through Heifer International in our name. My kids can not tell you one gift they received that year from 'Santa'.... but boy howdy - they still talk about the goats, rabbits and geese. So, which gift honored Jesus the most?
I don't mean we should boycott all stores and gift buying - I'm a little consumer oriented (especially when it comes to hunting stuff), but what if we spent 1/2 the amount of money on ministries such as Heifer International, Fair Trade Coffee, or a host of other avenues?
Oh wait... the Neiman Marcus catalogue just came in the mail today.... got to go flip through and make my list.
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2 comments:
good post. I have emailed our siblings to ask about just exchanging gifts for the kids from now on. we'll see what happens...
Cindy - We tried that with my Cindy's family one year - it lasted one year. It is hard to make the change when our "circle of friends" do not have the same worldview on the matter. I have found it to be helpful to suggest this method for gifts that anyone feels obligated to give to me, while I continue to give tangible gifts to them. A few have crossed over - - but for some, they just won't or don't get it.
Have a great T-day.
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