Who's gettin' a gift?

Isn't it strange? On the one holiday of the year that honors the event of Christ's birth, our gifts and giving are directed to everyone EXCEPT the one we are honoring.

It's Christmas time! Online sales are booming. Store hours are extending. Wishlists are growing by the hour. You're scratching your head... or scraping your pockets... to find the perfect present for this one or that one. Feelings of anxiety begin to set in, or apathy in some cases, as people 'settle' for whatever new gadget is popping as you swipe from one tab to another. The best laid plans, and last minute store runs all come together for a gift-giving season that constantly aims to top the last one.

Okay, so some people don't associate Christmas with Christ at all... kind of like people who don't associate marriage with covenant, or baptism with conversion. It's not crazy for these groups to not honor God at Christmas.

But if you believe the story of the baby boy who left the heavenly realms to walk the Earth in the form of a mere man, then later sacrifice his life for ours, why wouldn't we direct our gifts and giving to Him, at Christmas. Well, waddaya know? Those three wise guys were onto something: A savior is born, let's prepare Him a gift.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.

Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking?

Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you.

Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies.

Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.

All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen."

1 Peter 4:10-11