Giving From Love

I love to give, especially at Christmas. I have felt guilty, wondering, “Am I getting caught up in the commercialism of Christmas?” No, it is the joy in my heart and the love I feel.

Acts 20:35 says, “It is better to give than to receive.”

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, wit whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

God gave us the greatest example of giving when He gave us His Son, humbly born as a baby (Matthew 1.) He was born to give us hope. Hope is knowing and believing God is making the future better than the past or present.

Our family has traditions we do at Christmas. We decorate, place lights on the Christmas tree, and lights outside. One thing we do is place a very special gift under the tree all by itself. When our son was little he wrapped this gift in his Sunday school class. A little note on it says, “The best Christmas gift can’t be purchased in a store, it comes from God as a gift of love.” He brought it home and put in under the tree and said it has to stay there until Christmas day, because it is full of Jesus love.

We have placed it under our tree ever since.

Our hope can easily be stolen in life by things like tragedies, division, and stress. Psalm 42:5 says, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed? Put your Hope in God.”

“Hope” is believing God has a plan. When you see the word “Believe” on a Christmas decoration, it is not Santa we should think of, but God giving us the gift of Hope through His Son, Jesus. He is why we have hope for our future. A future when we are with Him and all things are beuatiful and perfect!