Kathy Ireland - The Gift of Giving!

Kathy Ireland- National columnist for Christian Living magazine-"...finding solutions for families,
especially busy moms."

The Gift of Giving

By Kathy Ireland

This season of Thanksgiving and our Lord's birth is a joyous one; but the holiday's can be challenging as well.  One great way to celebrate is to remember the powerful gift of giving! 

The excitement builds as we count down the days until Christmas. It is important and fun to celebrate special days, and getting gifts is something most of us look forward to with joy and anticipation! It is so much fun to receive a new present!  Receiving gifts graciously is wonderful. Did you know that giving is even more of a blessing than receiving?  In Acts 20:35 Jesus says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  What did he mean? 

            Think about a time you gave something to someone... Was it a picture you drew? Was it a pretty wrapped package from a store? Flowers you purchased or found outside? Was it a song, a hug or a kind word? How did you feel when you gave something that was special? Jesus in His perfection is always correct. When we give to others from the heart, the joy that fills us is priceless! 

Giving God's Way

God, in His perfection, does not need our help. God, in His kindness, allows and encourages us to help and to give. Please, open your Bible and let's read a scripture together! This is a family opportunity, blessing and true gift for everyone of every age! 

            "After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberius). A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?" This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost." So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten" (John 6:1-13).

Jesus, who is fully man-yet without sin-and fully God, could get the food for people any way He chose. He spoke the world into existence, and He certainly could have commanded the food to appear without involving anyone.  Instead, He chose to let others receive the gift of giving! As we prepare our holiday meals, if we experience sadness during this season of Glory, let us never forget that wherever we are in our lives and circumstances, we are always able to receive the great gift of giving! 

            As Christians, we know it makes Jesus sad when our behavior is bad, when we make bad choices and when we don't have much faith. Even though that makes Jesus sad, He loves us no matter what! Even when His disciples were not showing much faith, Jesus blessed them with the gift of giving! Jesus involved His disciples in His work. He gave them the responsibility of telling the people to sit down.

In the gospel of Luke, we learn that Jesus allowed the disciples to pass out the food to all the people. "Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to Heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people" (Luke 9:16). After all the people had eaten until they were full, Jesus let His disciples collect all the leftovers so nothing would be wasted. There were twelve baskets filled with leftovers after feeding five thousand men plus all the many women and children! Everyone who got to give that day received the gift of giving!  We can receive the gift of giving everyday!

We always need to be giving thanks! This is true in every season. May the joy, peace and love of Jesus be yours this holiday season and in all the days of your life...now and ever after!

Season's Greetings, Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! 

Love, kathy