WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Finals are over! School is done! (for a while) Christmas is less than 48 hours away! I'm not sure who is else more excited right now: myself or Buddy the Elf because again......
IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!
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One of my favorite things to do around Christmas time is getting presents for others. Whether that was for my roommate, siblings, parents, third cousins, it didn't matter. The goal was to get as many smiles, laughs, and tears as possible and to bring them an excessive amount of joy following their long past few months of work and school.
Before I get to see any of their reactions to what I wrapped up for them, I had to wrap their presents. In order to do that, I had to go find wrapping paper. And in order to do that, I had to figure out what to get each person. And in order to do that, I had to make sure I still had a few bucks to spare for the ones who made Santa's Nice List.
It took many runs to the Dollar Tree for additional wrapping paper and Scotch tape, lots of late nights sacrificed where I should've either been sleeping or watching The Office, and endless cups of coffee to keep me going the next morning.
I fully aware that all of the time I've invested in my gift-wrapping operations will be for just a few minutes of pure joy on each person's face that I give a gift to.
You're probably wondering, "So why are you spending your time doing all of that for a few minutes of smiles?"
I'm not. I'm doing it all because that is what the Lord has called us all to do. Not just wrap presents: He's called us to love others. Unconditionally love others.
In Deuteronomy 15:10, it says "Give generously and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this, the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."
"So we need to wrap presents for others so God will bless and reward us?"
Not quite. We're working for God to be examples and disciples of His goodness and light. We are called to show love to others because God first loved us.
'Tis the season, regardless that it isn't actually Jesus' birthday this Christmas, (surprise!) why not give to someone else? I mean God gave His son to our weary world so that we may rejoice in knowing Jesus would later give His life for all of our sins.
If they can make big moves like that, we can give something to others. Not just during Christmas time or their birthday, but all the time! Giving our love and our time is something we should never regret or think twice about because the person you give your time to may need it much more than you could've ever imagined they did.
The final verse, 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Your labor/gift-wrapping in the Lord is not in vain. There is always more than what you will get out of giving to someone else. You will leave that person with the gift of knowing they're loved and that you will always care for them, just as God has and forever will care for all of us.
God may not reward us by putting candy in our stockings, paying off part of our student loans, or by providing us with all the answers we desire, but He will remain faithful and will continue to love us as we reflect Him by choosing to give to others......our time, our compassion, and our Christmas presents :)
Merry Christmas!
Live, love, and be loved.
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