The Most Important Gifts We Can Give

Every year I tell myself I’ll buy Christmas gifts early to avoid the last minute rush, and every year I find myself in the same place: out shopping the week before Christmas! Gift giving is one of my favorite love languages. I take joy in planning and trying to find gifts that will please my family and friends, but I can get so caught up in shopping that I forget the most important gifts of all.

What gifts can I give to Jesus for His birthday?

• A heart submitted to Him

• My love

• My worship

• Time spent reading and treasuring His Word

• Prayer for others

• A peaceful, joyful attitude as I serve my family and give time to my husband and kids

• Reaching out to encourage friends

• Sharing God’s love with non-believing friends

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year to share God's love. 

Every year we give a party, where we invite both believing and non-believing friends to eat together, play games, sing carols and listen to a 5 minute Christmas message.

This December I also had a women’s tea together with several friends. We worked hard cooking, preparing a craft activity and planning presentation. Fifteen women learned how to cut a snowflake and also heard the story of Jesus’ birth for the first time. (Most of them had no idea that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth.)

My son participated in a flash mob. This group took the message to the streets in song. They performed in a downtown pedestrian area, on a ferry, on the seafront, on the metro, and at a mall.

There are many small things we can do to share the love of Christ:

• Invite a friend to church

• Take a plate of cookies to a neighbor

• Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the Starbucks line and tell him God loves him.

• Smile at someone

• Pick up the phone and call an older person who lives alone

Do you have any suggestions for sharing God's love or giving Him gifts for Christmas?

What can I give Him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part,

Yet what I can I give Him,

Give my heart.      

(Christina Rosssetti)