As I have explored this deeper, I realized that what I love about gifts so much is that someone thought of me. Someone took the time to think about what I like, go to a store, and spend their hard earned money just for me! It's not just about having that new item. (Although that is nice!)
Because I am a "Gifts" person, I loooove Christmas. The three wise men gave Jesus gifts. But this is not the point of Christmas! The reason we celebrate Christmas is because God sent his only son to be a Savior for us all. We are celebrating Jesus' birth.
I was in Target 2 days ago and was dumbfounded by the chaos around me. Women pushing one and two carts completely stuffed with toys were demanding to know where various items were from the workers. Target employees rushed around in a panic trying to appease these crazy people by finding Christmas Barbie and Harry Potter toys.
When did this become Christmas? When did we completely lose sight of what we are celebrating? I should state that I do not know everyone's situation in Target. Maybe they were buying toys for all of the orphans in Africa. But lets be honest, I doubt it.
I enjoy the excitement that Christmas brings. There's just something in the air this time of the year. I just wish that the excitement was about the celebration of the birth of our Savior rather than how many toys we can buy that will end up in the trash a year later.
This Christmas, in an effort to celebrate the joy of giving but keep the focus on Jesus, we are going to buy Jael 3 gifts and explain the three gifts that Jesus received. I told Luke that he's welcome to buy me 3 gifts as well ;-)
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
Luke 2: 11-15
