A WORD FOR TODAY, December 4, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, December 4, 2025
“Charge those who are rich in this present age that they not be arrogant, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; 18 that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share; 19 laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19, WEB
We don’t have many little ones in our family anymore, so we’ve “adopted” several families in our church and act as an extra “grandma.” The list of these children is growing, and so are the children. It is getting harder to buy presents for them because it is so hard to know what they would enjoy. We have budgeted much less for each child this year since there are so many. I finished that shopping today, and hope that they will enjoy the gifts. I love to buy Christmas presents; I guess that's why I’ve “adopted” those families. It is a joy to think about my little friends as I am shopping and to see their smiles when they open their presents. Sometimes I have to remember that the dollar value is not the real focus, that gift giving is really about “the thought.”
There was once a commercial for a local jeweler that asked if the listeners were having trouble finding the perfect gift for their loved ones. The speaker then assured us that we would find the perfect gifts at the store. “Diamonds, gold, silver...” they have it all. Every other store makes similar appeals to the shopping public. They all have the perfect gift. They all have the one thing that will make all our loved ones happy. The ads are filled with claims, “Best presents” and “Perfect gifts!”
It can be hard to decide which gifts to give. It is even hard to decide for whom we should buy presents. When Bruce and I were first married, we purchased gifts for everyone in our families. That was eventually reduced to family gifts and then the family gifts became homemade ornaments. We bought gifts for the nieces and nephews when they were younger, when it was easy to purchase a small toy or book. It became much harder as they grew older. We did not know them very well since they live so far away, so we had no idea what things they had or their interests. We eventually stopped buying gifts and sent money or gift cards instead. We all went through the transition because we had ridiculous piles of presents under the tree and shipping became much too expensive.
Sometimes it felt silly to send those gift cards. None of us could afford so many presents; it was a struggle to buy for every child. Besides, our gift cards just passed in the mail. We’d send gifts cards to their kids; they’d send gift cards to ours. This is not to say that gift cards are bad gifts. Sometimes money and gift certificates are the perfect present, especially for those who have very specific needs. By giving them a gift card from a store where they can purchase exactly what they want, you’ve remembered them in a very special way while giving them the freedom to have the right thing.
The problem is in our motive. Why are we buying these gifts? Are we buying them out of duty or for some reward? Do we purchase gifts for someone in the hopes that they’ll give us something back? Or are we repaying a gift with our gifts? Are there better ways to share our love with our friends and family? Do we really need to find the “perfect” gift to continue having a relationship with them? I love to give presents, and I particularly love to give presents that I know will make people happy.
So, as we work out our preparation for Christmas Day, it is good to think about the gifts we give and the reason we do so. It has long been said that children prefer the boxes to the presents. Sometimes they do, because a box uses imagination. Many people would rather a handmade ornament than an expensive piece of jewelry. Do we really need to buy a big dollar gift for our friends, or would it be better to spend time with them? What is the perfect gift, really? Is it an item that fulfills some duty or reaps us enough praise? Does saying “I love you” require a lot of money? And do we really need to buy things for everyone we know? Are we really making them happy?
So, let’s remember what it is all about. Yes, the greatest gift is Jesus, and the season is about Him. But we can’t forget that giving gifts among God’s people has been a long-held part of the celebration. The wise men gave gifts. People from every generation have had traditions they have upheld from year to year. But we need to remember why we give gifts. We share what we have to make others happy. We give as we have been given to glorify God. We don’t have to buy that big screen TV or that diamond necklace. The gift that will really make a difference is love, time, and presence in the lives of those we love. We can follow the example of God, who has not promised us castles and gold, but a babe in a manger. He gave us His son to dwell among us, to love us and to lay down His life for us. So, too, we can be generous and willing to share all we have with those we love, not just at this time of year in packages covered with bows, but with our lives and resources every day.
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