“Christmas
is the season for giving.” Oftentimes, particularly at this time of year, we hear
that phrase, “Christmas is the season of giving.” But what does that really
mean? How do we even know what giving really is? Are there levels of giving? What’s
truly generous giving?
Personally,
I’m very thankful for the work of the Salvation Army and their famous red
kettles, particularly during the Christmas Season. Yet, is it really giving
when I reach into my pocket, throwing in whatever change I happen to find
readily available? Or, if I’m more serious, in this credit card age, I open my
wallet to dole out a few bucks. Is that truly giving? It probably won’t alter
my lifestyle. There’s nothing that I will do without because I gave, though it
is still a gift on my part, in that I did not owe anything and did not receive
any services or benefits for my “gift.” And though I may throw something in…I
find that I am sometimes annoyed with the hassle. There is more natural Grinch
in my soul than Christlike generosity.
I believe that giving, generous and sacrificial giving
happens when we have seen it modeled. It’s commonly know that one of the best
ways to learn is to not be verbally taught or to read about what you wish to
learn, but to have it modeled by someone who is already proficient in it.
For example, this time of year, I always become reminiscent
of yesterday. While my family always celebrated Christmas, more often than not,
they were Christmases you’d sooner want to forget. My Dad was always angry and
miserable to be around at Christmas. My Mom would nearly always cry…almost
every Christmas. Money flowed. There were many big ticket items but it was
about “getting” never about “giving.” That came through in my own heart as I
would compare what I “got” compared to my siblings and particularly compared to
my neighbors. Whereas, I would get a bike, my neighbor would get a mini-bike.
If I received a set of plastic hot wheels that I’d be thrilled with it…until I
saw that he had received an electric race track.
It wasn’t until I left home and had found a new one
that I began to truly understand the meaning of Christmas. I can remember a
small house in LaCrosse, Wisconsin,
a parsonage. It was there for the first time that I saw love and giving truly
modeled at Christmas. Dave and Mary Cummins welcomed me into their home as
their “quasi” adopted son. They didn’t have a lot of money and lived fairly
simply. There were five nearly adult daughters and a growing number of son
in-laws when I entered the picture. In my biological home, I rushed down the
stairs with my sisters to see what Santa had brought ME. In the Cummins’ home,
Dad would sit in his easy chair, the family would gather, and Dad with his rich
bass voice would read the familiar Christmas account from Luke 2. Then,
presents would be distributed to delighted “oohs” and “aahs.” None of the gifts
were spectacular. Some were even home made. Mom Cummins made me my first robe which
I wore for years. It was a Christmas gift. Others who had no family or place to
go would soon join us around the Christmas dinner table that day. It was there
though that for the very first time that I saw love and generosity modeled.
Truly a “God bless us everyone” scene. And I, maybe for the first time, saw
giving and love modeled.
It struck me though that only someone who has met
Jesus, only someone who is a Christian and seen sacrificial giving can fully
understand sacrificial giving and then begin to give as they have been given.
Most give out of their abundance. Their lifestyle is not altered, there is no
true sacrifice on their part. Their giving rarely inconveniences them.
Jesus, when He entered time and space, as God the
Father’s first Christmas gift, modeled for us everything that true giving is
all about. No wonder the Apostle Paul cried out with a heart overwhelmed by
gratitude, “Thanks be to God for His
inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
God’s gift was planned.
When our first parents disobeyed God and sinned in the Garden, God promised
that He would send a gift to fix it (Genesis 3:15). His gift would cure them of
sin, guilt and death – the curse of sin. God’s gift was inconvenient though perfectly timed. Jesus, leaving the glories of
Heaven, to come to earth to be born in a manger. Perfect heaven for sin-filled
earth…divine love motivated such a gift. God’s gift was sacrificial. Jesus was born to die. Even at His birth, He was
wrapped in “swaddling clothes,” not
royal robes befitting a king. “Swaddling
clothes” were used to wrap corpses before burying the body. God the Father
knew that His Son would end His life on this earth by dying a horrible death,
one that’s unimaginable to most of us…the painful death of a common criminal on
a cross. And yet, knowing what would transpire in just a matter of three
decades, His angels were still sent to announce to a dark, oppressed world that
was about to miss out on the arrival of the first Christmas gift: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news
of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in
the city of David
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” That angel was joined by “a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those
with whom He is pleased!’” (Luke 2:10-14). It was God who first modeled
true Christmas giving.
Last night, I felt that God gave me a peek at what
normally happens when those who have met Jesus, those who have seen and
comprehended God’s sacrificial gift for them, and have accepted God’s Christmas
gift of His Son for them, how they in turn can’t hardly help but respond with
generosity. It explains a Dave and Mary Cummins. It explains a church family in
tough economic times, even after many of them have already stretched
financially, giving once again generously.
My church, Grace Church, the church God has given me
the privilege of pastoring for twenty-five years now, has just come through a
major capital campaign. We’ve asked our church family to commit and give beyond
their means so that we can build a new building, a new “tool” to be used for
the glory of God. Yet, like every church family, we have some families with
deep needs. And it seems that those needs are always felt even deeper at
Christmas. We wanted to do a special offering at our Christmas Eve service with
all of the money given to help those families.
One of our church leaders was hesitant (and rightfully
so). We’ve asked for a lot over the course of the last few months. We’ve asked
our church family to give generously and sacrificially…and they have.
Yet, last night, they did it again. Even though we’re
not a huge church, even though we did not have a huge crowd with folk already
out of town or with family, our church family dug deep…more than I would have
ever imagined. And we were able to take some needed gifts to some needy
families in our church.
But the story doesn’t end there. Last night at one of our
services, I learned that a single lady in our church was going to spend
Christmas all alone. To me, one who has spent too many Christmases alone,
that’s just wrong. Our family is beginning vacation. It started after the
service last night. My wife and our three children graciously and willingly
give as part of our church all of the time. Yet, I knew that this wasn’t right
and though it might be a little bit of inconvenience, I was going to ask my
wife after the service to see if it would be okay if we added a place at our own
Christmas dinner table. Yet, before I could have that conversation, I learned
that another church family had already invited her to join theirs.
Yes, Christmas is the season of giving. And it’s true,
you do not have to know Christ to give generously and sacrificially. Some do.
Yet, when you have been given so much from a loving God who owed you nothing.
When you’ve seen giving modeled in heavenly proportions…how can you do any less
and how could you not desire to give more and more. It’s the supernatural
outcome…because you are the recipient of God’s greatest gift, His Son, Jesus.
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