One of the joys of being in California now is that we no longer have as many presents to send in the mail as we used to. When we were in Iowa we were definitely one of the parties that helped keep our local post office open longer hours during Christmas time. We also helped provide job security for the local post mistress, or I think she wished to be called “Postmaster.” Maybe she would have allowed “Post Supervisor Person,” well it doesn’t matter now, for I heard she retired.
There is something about getting mail. There is especially something exciting about receiving packages, even brown paper packages tied up with string. The anticipation of finding out what special gift someone chose for you is both affirming and provocative. It is nice to receive recognition and even nicer to know that person selected something just for you.
Not all the presents we receive are what we would have chosen, but then we must consider the giver before we make a judgment about the present, and sometimes we judge more than we need to. I mean a gift is a gift. I have to admit we, our family, have gone to gift cards for some of our friends and relatives. It takes some of the personal choice out of the matter, but we have so many choices and I would have to say most of my friends are not in need of something functional or edible. Most of my friends are beyond the basics and the gesture in gift giving is more of affirming our relationship than providing a necessity.
The one gift we celebrate with most of our friends though is not only a necessity now, but a necessity for ever. Yes Jesus is the greatest gift we have been given, but it is also the best gift we can offer to someone else. We don’t have to make them take it, but certainly we need to make his gift known. We need to grasp those opportunities to give people a “Jesus moment,” serving others as Jesus would. A Jesus moment can be where we listen to someone’s chatter or we help them carry a burden or we offer them a light to rekindle their waning candle.
I am becoming more convinced that we need to offer people our time. We need to be willing to hear what others say, not try to fix their problems, but to just listen. We need to provide opportunities to sit and breathe among a breathless people. We need to pick up the can they dropped at the store or catch the cart that is rolling away from them as they try to buckle their baby in the car. We need to smile when the lines of age or stress crease their brow.
Let us share the gift of grace and joy we have received through Jesus, with the world around us and even they will become excited about the simple pleasures of life, loving, laughing and living. This definitely will not hurt your wallet and you can even share this gift with the person in the mail room.
Have a grace filled Christmas as you share it with others,
Pastor Randy
