Gifts

It was Christmas time and I was home visiting my family. As per tradition, all of family who lived within a few hours drive, had come over for a huge Christmas day lunch. As we gathered around the table to eat, chatter, food and the love of a family swarmed throughout the room. Food was everywhere, but my Aunt Lisa had cooked her famous sweet potato casserole, so in my eyes, I was happy as could be.

Once we had gorged, we found ourselves split, half of us in the den watching Christmas day parades, while the other half kept busy in the kitchen cleaning up from our feast prepared for an army. Before my Aunt began to wash some of the big pots and pans in the sink, she removed her bracelet from her wrist. It was a charm bracelet of sorts, silver and shiny, as she placed it at the edge of the sink. My mother swooned and quickly complimented my aunt, her sister, on the beauty and elegance of that bracelet. Aunt Lisa quickly and graciously accepted her compliment, being sure to tell my mom exactly where so had purchased it as well as how much she had paid for it. She then promptly told my mother that she would keep her eyes open if she ever came across another one.

After our gluttony had passed and our bodies were rejuvenated from napping, the house once more came alive. Soon footballs were soaring across the living room and the men grew restless on the couches as the parades and football games had come to a close on the television. After the mom’s chased all the boys and men into the yard to play football, my mom and her sister remained at the kitchen table talking and catching up. When we returned back inside from the football game of the century, my mom was quick to point out the gift she had be given while we were outside; my Aunt’s charm bracelet.

For maybe the first time in my life, I had witnessed the giving of a gift out of pure love, demanding nothing in return. How often are do really ever give something away without asking for some kind of payment, whether its monetary, a “thank you,” or by expecting something in return? We often only give at Christmas because we want to get something “good” in return. And we give gifts at birthdays so that hopefully someone will remember our birthday and give a gift to us. But how often do we truly give gifts out of the same love for our neighbor that Christ gave to us through his death and resurrection. Perhaps this Easter season should be reminding us of that gift.

In the coming days, I challenge you to look for opportunities where you can give a gift without the expectation of getting anything in return. Reteach yourself how to truly give something away. Maybe it will be something physical, such as a bracelet your friend really likes or a meal you buy for them. Or maybe it will be giving love to the loveless, or hope to the broken. Whatever you give, give out of love that Christ has so generously given us. Allow the Kingdom of God to break into our lives as we learn to love both God and our neighbor.