Gift Giving

It is hard not to think of gift giving at this time of year. We all are on the quest to obtain the perfect gift for those that we love. Even if it is just a casual party that we are attending, we want our gift to be the "hit of the party", i.e. I am going to a sock exchange Monday night and I want my socks to be the ones every one wants. Silly I know, but I am pretty sure, I am not the only one that thinks this way. There is just joy in giving gifts that please the receiver. But I have to confess there are many times I don't spend time contemplating the quality of gifts I give to my God. There is a story in Matthew 26 that I find fascinating because it is a story of gift giving that God does not want us to forget. "I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory."--Matthew 26:13

It was the incredible sacrifice that a woman made for Jesus. What was it that she did that so impressed the Lord? Did she perform a miracle or provide some great teaching? No, she just gave a gift from her heart. While in the home of Simon, this woman took a jar of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus with it. This was significant and memorable because she seemed to recognize that Jesus needed to be anointed for His burial. So with complete abandon, she gave Him everything she had. In Mark 15 we discover her perfume cost more than 300 denarii which was the equivalent of nearly a year's wages. But it wasn't the gift that mattered. It was her heart behind the gift. It was her motives that touched Jesus, because He knew she sacrificed nearly everything for Him.

So as you are doing your shopping remember the lesson of this story. It is the love and sacrifice that is behind your gift that will be the most memorable as well. After all the physical thing you buy will eventually grow old or even disintegrate, but your love will last forever. But more importantly, be contemplating during this advent season what it is that you can give the Lord that He will know that you gave with complete abandonment. What can I give?