Graced to Give!

Today is exactly 83 days ‘til Christmas! What does this mean for you?

I imagine that you who are the highly organized type-A personality may be half-way through your Christmas gift shopping list about now, and right on budget.

The more relaxed of you may already have, or are working on, a list and budget but are content with waiting until the end of November for the Black Friday and cyber-Monday sales.

Then there are those of you whose reaction will be no more than a raised eye-brow or a shrug. You’ve always managed to get all your shopping done during Christmas week…and you like it that way.

Whatever your response may be, the fact is that Christmas has become “the season of giving.” That time of year to which individuals put a lot of time and effort into choosing and purchasing the right gifts for loved ones, friends and people they like.

To be honest, this is not something the “world” does, Christians too make Christmas as much, or more, about gift giving and receiving as about celebrating the true GIFT – JESUS CHRIST, GOD’s Son. While none of this makes us bad people in and of itself, we are called to a higher, divine level of gift giving.  

How does Christian giving differ from the world’s?

The Children of GOD are called to a lifestyle of giving and generosity, not just seasonal and special event gifting, and more than just products we buy.

GOD the Father has graced His children with specific gifts that we are called to share with His family and the world at large.

• We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8

Unlike seasonal gifting, these spiritual gifts are priceless.

We can never repay GOD’s GIFT of love that purchased our salvation (John 3:16-17) but we can follow the example of CHRIST’s obedience to the Father and use our spiritual gift-giving to make life-changing differences in people’s lives.

“We use whatever gift we have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of GOD’s grace.” (1 Peter 4:10-11)

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How does Christian gifting make a difference?

When we gift GOD’s way, we do so:

• To anyone: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” (Proverbs 3:21.). We do not reserve our giving just for people we know and like, or question a person’s need.
• Freely: because we have received freely. For “What do you have that you did not receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7.) All that we have received and is able to share come from God who gives to us generously.
• Sacrificially/generously: even when we think we can’t make a difference. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10. Let GOD decide what you are able to do; trust Him with what is His.
• Humbly: and not out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility (because we) count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3). Give and expect nothing in return.
• Quietly: Jesus warns that our giving should not be publicized for human praise but done so quietly that not “your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” Then our “Father, who sees what is done in secret…,” will reward us.
• For GOD’s glory: Not so that you would be praised for your work but GOD, ”… whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things…” 1 Peter 4:11. Be sure your motives are pure, “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD evaluates the motives.” Proverbs 16:2;
• Holding nothing back – 1 Peter 4:10 says “use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Our talents and gifts are ours by God’s grace and are given to us for serving GOD’s people.  

Christian gifting is more than money – we gift ourselves, our talent and our time.

We visit the sick and comfort the bereaved and the downcast; we give time to prayer for the suffering; we provide relief to the poor; and offer hope to the oppressed.

We do all with patience, kindness and love, because we care about what our Father cares about – “…God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son.

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We are our Father’s hands and feet to the world. When we bless others through our gifts we please the Father and our reward is great!

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father and our GOD, all that is good and perfect come from YOU. We thank YOU for YOUR priceless gift of grace, mercy and loving kindness that keep us and show us how to give to others in return. Thank YOU for the gift of hands to do good work, feet to carry good news, and tongues to speak the gospel of comfort and hope. Thank YOU for the gift of your Son, your WORD that became flesh to live in us and through us and among us and shows us how to live for YOU. To YOU, Father, be dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray all in JESUS’ name. Amen!

Always by His Word and prayer,

Cecile