Gifts
Take it back! Three of the most dreaded words this time of year. For whatever reason, the practice of taking gifts back to the retailer around Christmas has become the norm. From where I sit, this is a sure-tell sign that the gift itself has dwarfed the far more important act of giving, which is the whole point of Christmas. What if, instead of returning those tight jeans, or oversized shoes, we simply gave them away? As the “gifter,” we could rest assured that what we wrapped was in the hands of someone who values the gift, and to be honest, probably needs it more than we do. The “giftee” could live into the spirit of generosity that warms the holiday. It’s a win, win!
Thankfully, the gifts of God cannot be taken back. There is no dreaded return line for salvation, forgiveness, and love. When it comes down to it, finding gifts under the tree, then unwrapping them, isn’t exactly an accurate representation of how God works. Grace is not only freely given, but nothing is required of us. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, God chooses us, we don’t choose Christ. The gifts of love, forgiveness, and eternal life are gifted to us whether we like it or not. This is the Gospel. Being Lutheran, we gravitate toward the lessons of Romans where between us, “there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Ro. 3:23-24). And the “gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Ro. 11:29).
The idea of gift giving for Christmas began when three kings offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh, to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Which, when you think about it, are pretty worthless gifts to an infant. What if, instead, the kings simply praised the gift they, and humanity, were given that night. Better yet, what if they distributed that gold back to the likely tax-oppressed communities that they ruled over. Giving far outweighs the act of receiving. We give to others because God has first given to us.
We have love to give. We have a non-judgmental ear to offer those who are burdened with life’s difficulties. We have a compassionate shoulder when eyes begin to swell. We have the message of God’s forgiveness when our words cause harm. We are the Church, meant to be God’s gift to the world. Proclaiming Christ for all people is what people long to hear. Nothing, not a single thing, can separate us from God’s love. So, we are people that know and share that message of love as often and as unceasingly as we can. True, God does not require this of us. But, it is the Holy Spirit that moves through us and inspires us to build the world that God intended. God will continue to be present and active with, or without us. The question is, will we do all that we can to participate, or not? God cannot be rejected, returned, or stolen. God can only be regifted, passed along to those who need to hear that they are deeply loved for being exactly who God created them to be.
Unwrapping love,
Pr. Lucas McSurley
Photo by Tim Mossholder