Giving

Giving is one of the things people associate with Christmas.

This is inspired by the wise men who brought gifts to Jesus in the forms of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Others have written much about the significance of these gifts, so I will pass on that aspect.

Scripture does not specify how many wise men there were.

Since it specifies these three gifts, people easily assume that there were three wise men.

We really cannot say how many wise men made the trek to worship Jesus.

This got me thinking about giving at Christmas.

For instance, my colleagues and I purchased and wrapped gifts for some children in need.

Members of my church marked the days in Advent by purchasing food items for the local food bank.

Volunteers ring bells for the Salvation Army encouraging people to give.

Sometimes, people give in unexpected ways like paying for someone else’s order at the drive thru.

People even donate their time and talents for Christmas programs and the like.

For some reason, giving just seems to come more easily to us at Christmas.

Do not get me wrong.

I encourage giving in these ways and others.

I gladly do so myself.

But, in a matter of days, Christmas 2019 will be but a memory.

Giving, broadly speaking, can all too easily become just a memory as well.

This is unfortunate as the need for giving will still be there when Christmas is gone.

Just as we should not limit the number of wise men to three, we should not limit our giving to Christmas.

There is scriptural basis for this.

Proverbs 3:9 reminds us to give from our first fruits and not from what is left over.

1 Chronicles 29:14 reminds us that everything (even what we give) belongs to God.

2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us to give from the heart and God loves those who give cheerfully.

Luke 6:38 reminds us that the spirit in which we give is the spirit in which we will receive.

In the days remaining until Christmas we will each find many ways in which to give.

Perhaps enough ways to inspire us to continue into the year to come.

When it comes to gifts, God gave us the best gift of all.

Christmas is not about how a fallen mankind reached up to God.

It is about how God reached down to a fallen mankind through Jesus.

That gift is so very special that it has continued to give daily for 2,000 years!

That should be the best inspiration of all.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 13, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 20, 2019