As Christmas gets closer, traffic is heavier, store lines are longer, drive-thru lanes are full, and generally people seem to be everywhere. Add any extra weather complications and these problems exponentially increase. Plus, the parties, gift list, menu planning, travel, baking, wrapping, extra cleaning, and plenty of other fun.
In this context, what is the best gift you can give?
Love
As a follower of Christ, your absolute best gift you can give to the people all around you is love. Love is described by Paul:
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. 6 It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7 NET)
The Apostle Paul describes what love looks like in everyday living in very specific attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors.
Love that Fits the Occasion
Now add what Paul says about love to the context I described above. What’s the best thing you can give to people when traffic is heavy, store lines are long, drive-thru lanes are full, and generally people seem to be everywhere? What about when your schedule is packed with the demands of parties, gift list, menu planning, travel, baking, wrapping, extra cleaning, and plenty of other fun?
Add love. That means you are going to be patient in the long lines. Kind to the store employee. Thoughtful when engaging others. Longsuffering with excited children.
The best gift you can give to the people you know best, are around the most, parent, work next to, or volunteer with is love. The temptation is to let all the pressures push out the most basic gift you can give; instead, give the best – your love.
