gifts

The other day at work I heard a conversation. "What's the point of all these gifts?" "yeah, I know. Every year I buy crap for people and I'm never really excited about it. It seems so pointless." I'm not sure how the conversation ended but it got me thinking.

I love to give presents. I love to find things for people that I know they will love. The joy it gives my heart to watch someone open a gift they aren't expecting is worth every penny I spend. I also enjoy receiving gifts. It's fun and heart warming to receive something from someone simply because they love me and thought of me.

Often the gift is more reflective of the giver than the recipient. How much time and effort was put into the gift. How well they know the person receiving the gift. How deep the emotions are for the person they are giving to. So much is wrapped up in a gift.

At Christmas we remember a significant gift. The most important gift. God the Father gave His Son to the very world He created. Jesus, came in the form of a helpless baby and gave Himself to the people He molded. To the people He knew before they even breathed their first breath. He gave Himself into the hands that would one day bind Him to a tree to pay for the sins of those He made. He, God incarnate, subjected Himself to full dependency. He needed to be fed, changed, taught and protected.

We give gifts to remind us that He gave the ultimate gift. I think if we remember that then giving gifts does mean something. It means we understand, even a little, how to love someone.