Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday December 10, 2007

The Christmas Season always brings true colors to the fore and the following is a mirror of most true feelings during what has become the maddening rush of Christmas giving.

A lady was showing everyone the new diamond her husband had bought her for Christmas as his "very special gift." One of his friends remarked, "Hey, Herb I thought your wife wanted a Jeep, how come the diamond?" Herb sly answered, "I couldn't find a fake Jeep."

I hope you got at least a chuckle, I personally roared with a belly laugh when I read it for like all true humor it hit home to me in particular and the general state of gift giving in 2007.

When you stop and think about it most gift giving is in fact the giving of something that is false.

The giving of gifts during the season is based on the premise of the gift that God gave, His unique Son and it is stated that He did this on the basis of His love for the people to whom the gift was given, people who at the time the gift was given were unable to truly love God. Peter discovered this just after Christ's resurrection in the great love conversation after his little fishing excursion.

In our society gifts are given and received for all kinds of reasons. My brother founded and operated a trucking company of a moderate size and he knew that next year's business depended on a very good service and the quality of whiskey given to shipping agents at companies with which he wished to do business. Over the years he also learned the names and preferences of key secretaries and catered to those desires over the days when we pay homage to our Lord. He knew which bosses liked perfume and which secretaries liked Cutty Sark. I will not trouble you with an explanation of the above line. Dan knew that prior to getting the chance to demonstrate the superiority of your trucking expertise; you must first prove the superiority of your Christmas gifts. The gifts were given out of the lovely expectation of something of value given in return. A gift given with this underlying desire does not qualify as a true expression of love for the person to whom the gift is given.

The vast majority of Christmas gifts are given without a modicum of thought about love, and most receivers of gifts at not village idiots, so no one is fooled, no matter the cost, it means nothing.

Little children are taught this concept of giving and receiving gifts is based on the line, "You have been good, so here is the gift you wanted instead of a lump of coal. And if you are good this coming year, more gifts are coming your way." Please, this is not a sour grape rant, it is a humorous look into our mind and heart set in the year of our Lord, 2007. I find no problem with entering into the game of Christmas, but you must be aware that only gifts given from the heart really matter. I learned this from God's example.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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