Don't Give Gifts, Unwrap Them Instead

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith”

Romans 12:6


Almost everyone likes a good deal when they see one. This past Friday was known as, “Black Friday” which was preceded by “Blue Thursday” only to be eclipsed by “Cyber Monday”. I just saw a news report that consumers spent 7.4 billion dollars on Friday and plan on spending nearly 9 billion dollars today on cyber Monday. I cant help but wonder of the over 16 billion dollars that will be spent on these two days will eventually be returned after Christmas for one reason or another. Have you ever considered giving a gift that no one will return and can be used for the rest of their life? Most everyone has heard the expression, “the gift that keeps on giving” and that’s what the gifts of God are. They are gifts given by God Himself to His children for the building up of the body of Christ in love. I doubt anyone would argue that the world could use a little more love.

Here’s an idea to consider regarding your gift giving this Christmas. Instead of focusing on spending money buying gifts for those you love, why not seek to help people discover their spiritual gifts endowed upon them by God. Imagine the look on people’s faces when they unwrap the very reason they were born into this world. No store bought gift can provide the satisfaction that a spiritual gift can. And to think of the price that was paid to redeem our souls.1 Peter 1:18-19 tells us, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” The cost of our salvation blows the Christmas retail revenue out of the water. Your worth as a child of God is priceless, beyond calculation. All the more reason to help people unwrap their spiritual gifts this Christmas than to give gifts that are simply way over priced and in no way can come close to satisfying like the gifts of God.

Remember, loved one, the best gifts in life can’t be found under a tree. The best gift of all the scriptures tell us are ours because of Jesus Christ who died upon a tree to give us life and life more abundantly. Because of Jesus gift we have gifts to share with one another, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Give the gift that keeps on giving this year. Help people discover God’s gifts, help them unwrap them knowing when they do God is glorified and the church is edified while the world hears the Good News of the gospel and is evangelized.


“but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Ephesians 4:15-16

I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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