Christmas Gifts

What is the measure of the goodness of a gift? How do we assess the value or goodness of the gifts that we give and are given? Is it the amount of money spent on the gift? Is it the amount of thought put into the gift? Is it the amount of time exhausted in the making or acquiring of the gift? Is it in how much the recipient wanted the gift? Is it how much time they will spend using it? All of these are factors but none of them determine the true value of a gift.

In the movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe there is a scene where Peter, Susan and Lucy meet Father Christmas. As they finish their time together Father Christmas gives each of them gifts, but the gifts seemed to me very unusual. He gives Lucy a dagger and a healing potion, Susan a bow and arrow and Peter a sword. These are probably not the gifts they were expecting from Father Christmas. Maybe the newest Barbie or a CD player, a Playstation or the latest thing to enter the market is what they were thinking and what they wanted. But he gives them these gifts. Why? Because these gifts were extremely useful in their love for and service to Aslan. They were gifts that equipped and aided them in making much of their King.

The true value of a gift is measured by how much that gift will help and support the recipient in making much of our King, Jesus Christ, forever. That, after all, is the highest, the greatest good and most valuable end in the entire world. When we think of the greatest gift ever given, what do we think of? The death of Christ. And what was the goal of this gift? “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (I Pet 3:18) The ultimate goal of this most precious above all gifts was “to bring us to God”. So, too, with our gifts.
So what are these gifts? Are they swords and daggers? Maybe, maybe not. I did hear of something that we can give (and receive) that is so valuable that its “proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.” Sadly, we can’t run down to the nearest Stuff-Mart or Get-a-Lot to buy her. On the bright side, with prayer we can buy gifts that either contain her or at least can impart a lot of her. She, of course, is wisdom.

As I examine Scripture it is apparent that wisdom is the most useful asset for bringing people to God. It is, therefore, the most important asset for life and we are implored to get it and to give it to our wives and children. “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Prov. 4:5-7)

So how? And what? Well, we must first know what aspects of wisdom we are most wanting our children to obtain, and then pick gifts that will develop this area of wisdom through engaging each child’s unique characteristics, thus developing them into godly adults. Therefore, gift giving will be different for everyone, but the key, in the end, is that our giving of gifts be a bestowal of wisdom, an imparting of the fear and love of God. These are the most valuable gifts of all.