Christian Living

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Every Christmas it seems we're in a different house or in a different country. As missionaries, we have come to accept our itinerant lifestyle. But my daughters know they can always count on one thing--a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas morning. We decorate the cake (always chocolate), sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, blow out the candle, eat cake and open presents! Once when my daughter was four, she asked, "If it's Jesus' birthday today, then why do we get the presents?" Good question. I had to think about that one for a moment.

In simple terms, I explained to my daughter that Jesus is God's greatest gift to the world. To show how much God loves us, He gave Jesus to us on Christmas day so we follow His example. We give presents because we want to show others how much we love them. Obviously I used some circular reasoning here and purposely avoided the whole discussion of consumerism and pagan traditions. (I decided that these "issues" could be dealt with later when she's fourteen, not when she's four.)

Unfortunately, showing "how much we love others" is now big business at Christmas and light years away from the real reason for the season. If we're honest, we know that there are times we give presents out of obligation or expectation. Other times we give in our eagerness to please or spend simply because we have the resources. But this is how the material world operates. As believers in Christ, we have a different standard for giving. The Bible says, "Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

This giving principle is so simple it is easy to miss. It says how and why we give are more important than what we give. The essence of giving is a willingness to share of ourselves with others. It is voluntary and personal. It is thought out in advance, not done out of guilt, whim or duty. Giving is the attitude of a heart that is rooted in a relationship with God.

When God gave us the gift of eternal life through Jesus, His Son, He was the ultimate gift-giver. His motive to give was His great love for all of mankind. What about us? What motivates us to give? This Christmas let's try and turn off the world's "noise" and listen to God's voice instead. As He promised in His Word, when we give from the heart He is not only pleased with us, He returns it to us in abundance.

Lorraine Saxon
December 2003

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