Pass along heavenly, priceless gifts to others

Christmas shopping stumps us sometimes.

It’s a strain to think of just the right gift for a friend or family member. And so often, when the perfect gift comes to mind, its price tag sends us scurrying for less costly alternatives.

Our culture has in many ways spoiled the tradition of Christmas gift-giving. Today’s commercial Christmas has made it more and more common for us to feel stuck buying fairly thoughtless gifts for people, or struggling for the right words to acknowledge such a gift given to us.

I remember the year I received a monogrammed butter knife. Where do you buy something like that, anyway? What do you say when you get one?

Happily, the Scriptures show us how to give people what they really want and need, without spending a dime. The real gifts of Christmas are not found in stores, cannot be purchased online, and never go on sale. They require us to dig deep into our hearts, not our wallets.

God gave us the perfect model for gift-giving when he gave us his son. It was an act of unconditional love that brought forgiveness, peace and hope to a world starving in its spirit.

These days, there are running jokes about “re-gifting” – that social faux pas of taking what was given to us, wrapping it up and giving it to someone else. (Warning: Don’t do this at office Christmas parties; it can be really embarrassing. I’m pretty sure I now own a Santa mug that I gave to someone previously.)

Seriously, the wonderful thing about God’s gifts to us is that they are meant to be re-gifted.

Are you struggling to find the right gift for someone this year? Is your budget thinner than your best intentions? Try giving others God’s own gifts to you:

“ Unconditional love. When Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, God himself invaded human history. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, and his coming as a man was the ultimate example of sacrificial love.

He came to live a perfect life and sacrifice himself for your sins, and mine.

We cannot give what we have not first received. Have you accepted this gift? Do you believe that Jesus is your savior?

Receiving God’s gift of love assures us of spending eternity in God’s presence in heaven. It also enables us to give unconditional love to others.

You are I are surrounded each day by love-starved people. They are our neighbors, family members and co-workers.

There is no greater blessing than to know that we are loved and to receive an act of love that is given with no strings attached.

“ Forgiveness. Jesus’ sacrifice through his death on the cross was necessary for forgiveness. We can be forgiven of sin only because of the sacrifice made on that cross.

We don’t deserve it; it is lovingly given to us by God. Forgiveness is costly.

Most of us have people in our lives whom we have held grudges against, marginalized or disregarded because of some offense – real or imagined.

What a blessing it would be to them, and to us, if we extended genuine forgiveness. Let’s resolve this Christmas to forget that grudge, welcome someone back into our lives, or restore a relationship by the power of forgiveness.

“ Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. His amazing sacrifice for us guarantees peace between sinful people and a holy God.

Scripture compels those who have embraced the Prince of Peace to be conduits of peace in this world. 1 Thessalonians 5:13 tells us, “Be at peace among yourselves” (NKJV).

It is much easier to remove peace from someone’s life than bestow it. Sarcastic remarks, a critical spirit, selfish attitudes – all of these come more naturally to us than their opposites: grace, encouragement, thoughtfulness.

It could be that giving the gift of peace to someone this Christmas will be as simple as not doing what comes naturally, but instead sharing what comes supernaturally, through the peace of God.

“ Hope. There’s a torturous song from the ‘70s that declares, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” (Yes, I realize it will take days to get that out of your head! Sorry.)

With all due respect to Jackie DeShannon, I think what the world needs now more than anything is hope.

The hope that Jesus brings to us is invaluable because it doesn’t depend on our circumstances. This unbreakable hope of heaven is as sure as tonight’s sunset, and it is universally needed.

Give it liberally this Christmas by telling the true story of Jesus and what his birth, death and resurrection really mean.

These gifts may cost nothing in currency. But don’t be fooled; they are not cheap.

They require the sacrifice of self. And that’s precisely what makes them priceless.