Victoria Advocate, A Different Perspective
My grandsons enjoy what we call kid church. One Wednesday night in December, I went to pick them up. There’s a check-in process for the children’s safety, and a young woman greeted me at the door. I showed her my stub, and she checked it against the notebook, then made a face—part-happy, part-oh dear. “I hope you’re not in a hurry,” she said. Actually, I was because it was a school night. The boys have a strict bedtime schedule because sleep-deprived grump-nuggets are a challenge on school mornings. She gestured to a hub of activity where the kids were playing a game. “Emmitt’s a present,” she explained.
Sure enough, two young girls were wrapping seven-year-old Emmitt in Christmas paper. He looked like a giant tortilla. I hastened over with my phone, snapped pictures, and sent them to his mom. Thank goodness, she’s a good sport about such things, but the cuteness overload certainly didn’t hurt.
After all, who doesn’t like presents? Especially at Christmas time, we all cavort around like Dasher and Dancer, buying, wrapping, and delivering treats, goodies, and whatever. The list is endless.
Gifts are fun, and everyone likes to be remembered. I’m one of those people who gets sentimental about gifts. My son purchased a set of coffee cups for me when he was a teen. The mugs bore a striking similarity to the wallpaper border of my country-style kitchen, so I deemed them special. They’ve been through several moves, and I still use them. Even though the apple baskets and blue checked border have long since gone out of style, they remind me of simpler times.
My husband had the audacity to be born on December 25th. Matter of fact, we have five family birthdays in December and four of them range from the 23th-26th. Through the years, every plausible scenario about holiday birthdays has come to pass. Overlooked to flat out neglected. Ever hard to manage. Sometimes celebrated with good cheer. However, the pile-up has increased our flexibility as we’ve embraced it through the years. One cake for two birthdays and shared candles was a frequent occurrence with my husband and our daughter. Together, they celebrated with joy. It’s always been a glorious reminder that life is not all about us. Sharing our lives is a far more satisfying way to live.
Kid church had it right. People are gifts. So if we gift each other with our presence, what kind of gift are you? I sometimes need a checkup from the neck up to be in touch with how I’m coming across to others. Am I fun to live with? Are you?
It’s important to note that disreputable people loved Jesus and enjoyed hanging out with Him. He never acted stuffy or self-important, and He wasn’t harsh with those whom society judged as inferior. Jesus’s closest friends wouldn’t classify as got-it-together people.
He simply loved them and invited them to follow Him. They did and changed the world forever.
Jesus looks past the superficiality of riches, position, and influence. He doesn’t reject anyone who comes with a heart willing to receive forgiveness for sin. Receive and accept Him as your Savior today. It will change your life forever.
Because Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all.