December 2018

One of the complaints that have echoed across the halls of our church this year has been how early the Christmas season was promoted. Some families were still working on selecting candy for the little trick-or-treaters they were expecting to charge their porches and found themselves plodding through Christmas promotions on the way to the candy aisles. It seemed to many of us, myself included, that the Thanksgiving weekend was getting squeezed out. Some of us saw cartoons that depicted an angry turkey telling Santa to wait his turn. I have the tendency to examine an issue from different angles to see if I can understand alternate points of view. As I pondered retailer’s rush into Christmas promotion and an almost eerie silence regarding the Thanksgiving holiday, I tried to look at it from a business point of view. As a retailer with strictly “show me the money” attitude, I would focus my attention on what boosts sales and pleases my investors (if I answer to any). That means I am going to cultivate a mindset that turns to “what I want to get” instead of “let me be grateful for what I have been given”. Advertising strategy is designed to use language that generates a particular opinion that will affect how we shop. For instance,“Good mothers buy Jiff”. If I am a mother who is concerned with doing the best for my children, such language would encourage me to buy that particular brand of peanut butter because it fits with my desire to be a good mother.
Why do I bring this up? I’m glad you asked. Much of what we are bombarded during this month is designed to nurture the idea that what we give others is an extension of our love. The better the gift, the greater our love. Inversely, that means that what we get demonstrates how much others love us. Just in case you are wondering, “is Vic anti-gift?” let me assure you that is not the case. Just like the guy in the movie, Idiocracy, who said “I like money”, I can say without a doubt “I like presents”. I like getting them and I love giving them. Therefore, this is not an anti-gift rant where I tell anyone not to buy gifts for their loved ones. The point I am trying to make is
that this season is about celebrating the greatest gift any of us could ever get which is a demonstration of the greatest love possible.
John 3:16 tells us: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
If we apply the “the better the gift, the greater the love” measurement, we are reminded of the colossal magnitude of our God’s love for each of us. When we do that, any gift we give or any gift we may be given pales in comparison. This month, if you are able to give gifts to your loved ones and friends, be thankful you are so able to. If you are blessed with a gift from a friend or loved one, be thankful that you have such people in your life. However, we should not overly stress finding the perfect gift because that gift has already been given. His name is Jesus Christ. To all who reach out and receive that gift, the gift expands to include salvation, forgiveness of sin, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of eternity with the Father. On top of all that, we are given a new life, participation in His plan, and a celestial purpose which is to share the message of His love.
This month, as we spend time with our loved ones and share in the season’s celebration. Share that what we are really celebrating is a gift that cannot be surpassed, a gift that proclaims the depth of God’s love for each one of us.

Have a wonderful December,
​Vic