Merry Christmas Eve! Those were the words my sweet mama gave to each of her children on Christmas Eve by way of an early morning phone call. That memory is so sweet. I pray that it stays a “merry” Christmas Eve day for you even though it may mean last minute shopping, wrapping those final presents, cooking, and getting ready for the Christmas festivities to begin. Thankfully, my family and I will attend Christmas Eve service tonight that will draw us into a "Silent Night. Holy Night".
Yesterday, my pastor’s Sunday message was about the perfect Christmas gift. Do you remember your favorite Christmas gift as a child? Mine was a Tiny Tears Doll set. It was so "perfect" that she cried real tears and wet her diapers. In my pastor’s message, he said: “Lots of time is spent on finding the perfect gift. Joey, a 4-year old boy had a very busy dad with little time for his family but he found time to give Joey a bedtime story each night. After many nights of telling stories, the dad found a device that would read the stories to his son for him and gave it to his son as a gift. It worked a few nights, but the boy returned the gift to his dad saying he didn’t want to listen to the stories from the device anymore. The dad asked, “Why?” The child’s answer was: “Because it doesn’t hold me in your lap.” The child wanted his dad’s time and closeness. He wanted his dad’s “presence” more than he wanted presents.
I keep getting email messages that the subject line reads, "Give your family and friends "The Perfect Gift". I've been deleting most of those and not checking to find out what they meant until yesterday. "The Perfect Gift" is a Gift Card. My thought is “Well, it’s better than getting something you don’t need or want. But, PERFECT? I don't think so.” Back to my pastor’s message of presents versus our presence in those we will be with this Christmas and beyond.
Maybe you’re hustling and bustling around at this last minute to buy the final presents for friends and family. Be sure to include with these gifts, the gift of YOU. That looking into their eyes and them hearing your voice expressing your love for them, putting aside the cell phones to really, really listen to them. Go the extra mile of your presence by asking them how they’re REALLY doing and offering your encouragement and support. Let them know they matter – really matter to you.
And while you're at it, give them the only PERFECT GIFT we could ever give, the gift of HIM, Who is the PERFECT One, Who isn't a tangible "thing", but is the All in All, Beginning and End of joy, comfort, peace, life, love, happiness, and life everlasting. He is God's PERFECT GIFT to us. John 3:16 "For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son -- that whoever believes in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life."
So how do we give that "Perfect Gift"? By giving ourselves as peacemakers, joy-peace-hope bearers, by being LIGHTS that this world desperately needs so much. Though Jesus is the ultimate, ever-ready, radiant, source of LIGHT that dispels darkness.....He told us in Matthew 5:14-16 that we are the light of the world. Your PERFECT GIFT this season? YOU, Your Presence and YOUR LIGHT shining brightly so that others will come to know Jesus Christ and His presence -- the ultimate PERFECT GIFT.
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