The search is on
For those perfect gifts.
It is the time of gift giving.
Yes Christmas giving is here.
Although this time of year has not always brought the greatest joy for me, (I will share more on this next week) it has continued to be a time when I enjoy the experience of giving thought to what my gift to others will be.
Oh how I love to see the smile of surprise and gratitude when the gift received is ‘just the right one’. Those tears of joy are a real treasure.
For many years, this one included, my gift/s may not be much, but I will work on it being full of meaning and thought. I will do all I can to ensure that my gift will be the perfect one for each recipient.
Oh how it would be such a joy to give with no financial limitations, to provide for others more than they could ever dream to have and not be restricted by what I can or cannot afford. Or would it be?
I was thinking on this the other day and wondering if the financial limitation I have with gift giving is a hindrance or in fact a help to me. The fact is, that the inability to spend limitlessly does cause me to give greater thought to the gift and in the process allows me to come up with a gift choice that is full of meaning. Would this be the case if I were buying ‘just because I can afford it?’ Yes the process would be a lot quicker, but would less thought be evident in the end?
But does my gift need to be costly to be meaningful?
Can a gift that is ‘priceless’ in meaning be one that costs me less also?
What can be done with or how useful is my thoughtful gift?
The reality is, the power and significance of any gift given is determined by the recipient, the gift can be of the highest value yet also hold very little meaning if it is not put to it’s greatest use, or cherished. No matter how much thought I put into a gift, if it not appreciated or put to the use for which it was intended, then all the power in the giving has been lost.
I wonder if the boy in the story I read the other day felt the same way.
His gift was very small and was not able to come close to achieving all that it was intended to; that was until it was in the hands of the recipient. This little boy had a small gift of five loaves of bread and two fish, which as Andrew replied when he shared this with Jesus, “but that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.” (John 6:8-9, MSG)
How could such a small gift be used in such a practical and meaningful way?
This gift, as small as it was, became a very meaningful and significant gift to all the recipients. Each and every person, over 5000, were blessed by a decent feed all because of the power of the hands to whom this small gift was presented. The miraculous power of the one who received this gift was made possible because one boy was willing to give what was to many a gift of ‘not much’.
No matter what I can or can not give to others, if it allows the other to feel loved and cherished, blesses others and brings the opportunity for the recipient to utilize the power given unto them and used to it’s full intention, then it is a perfect gift.
So no matter how small my gift may be, I will continue to enjoy giving thought to what that perfect and ‘priceless’ gift will be.
And look forward to the reward of a smile of gratitude, or maybe even some tears of joy!
Happy Christmas giving!
Deb
Xx
DEBriefing 
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