"Christmastime is here. It is a season marked by community and generosity. We gather to share food and memories with family and friends, and we shower one another with gifts.
In actuality, Christmastime is an excuse – an excuse to slow down, to live a little more like we share the planet with other people and that those people matter.
We were designed to live in community – to love, to need, to give, to receive, to simply “be” with others. When did we get too busy to live here?
I love Christmas time. It is a reminder of how we are to live life – together.
Christmastime also reminds us of the importance and beauty of a gift. Gifts are given freely, but that doesn’t mean there is no need for a gift. God’s gift of salvation in and through Jesus Christ is completely free to those who receive it by faith. I don’t think anyone would disagree that, in addition to being free, God’s gift is needed. It’s actually quite the understatement.
God’s gift giving makes me think about my gift giving. Does my gift giving address real need? After all, I can say that I “need” a new pair of jeans, but the truth is that I’ve never truly needed a new pair of anything. With that in mind, here are some gift giving questions to consider this Christmas season:
Who is in need?
How can I freely give to meet their need?
How can I address the issue of community in my gift giving?
How does my “presence” play into the gift?
How beautiful is it to benefit the community by giving a free gift? This kind of gift is a reflection of how our Creator, Sustainer, Savior-God relates to us. May we be mirrors that reflect His love to a watching world this Christmas, and may that spirit of community and generosity extend beyond a holiday."
http://www.christmaschange.com/wordpress/
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