As Christmas approaches I wanted to exhort you in giving your gifts.

For a few years past, Christmas wasn’t a Holiday I looked forward to. As a matter of fact, it was more of a necessary evil that I had to participate in. I also gauged how good of a Christmas I had based on what I received. Have you ever done that?

It wasn’t that fun giving to people and I just didn’t enjoy it. I was more concerned about what I wanted than blessing other people. Many times I forget what really matters. Our culture is so commercialized that our psychology starts to adapt to the perpetual idea that we’ll be content as soon as I have that next thing. When we have the next thing, it gets old and the glamor of the fulfillment it promised fades away, so we then look to the next thing.

Now, think about your life. How has this impacted your life?

It’s not our commercialized culture’s fault, but your’s and mine for adopting the idea that a product, person or thing could give us the fulfillment we desire.

Christmas changed for me when I realized that I’m not an owner of anything I have. I am a manager of God’s resources. God gave His Son and you and I are created in His image. Therefore, when we give, we are reflecting God’s character.

When you give during this Christmas, give with no strings attached because you’re not an owner you’re a manager of God’s world. When you don’t emotionally hold onto “your” stuff, it is much easier to bless someone else’s life and let go of it. The person you’re giving to needs it more than you, and it order for you to grow in Christ, you need to let go of your identity in “stuff.” Giving freely has been one of the most fun, rewarding and freeing activity I’ve gotten to participate in once I understood why and how God wants me to give.

This Christmas, enjoy giving!