Statistics say that 17 millions people are still shopping for last minute gifts today, on Christmas Eve. Maybe you’re one of those, or maybe you’re the one who had everything wrapped by Thanksgiving! Either way, there is another kind of gift to consider before you put your gift-giving hat away just yet.
The best gifts to give are the ones that incur an exciting and animated response from the receiver. It is so rewarding to give a gift to someone who is truly blessed by the gift you have given them. It is nice, in some way, to receive the “credit” for those gifts as well. We make jokes about husbands winning “brownie points” to last them for the year, but really it is a nice feeling for us when the recipient knows that this great act of thoughtfulness or generosity came from us. You get accredited with the “points”!
But what about when there is no credit that can be given? What about when the receiver of all that thoughtfulness and generosity could never tell you that satisfying ‘thank you’? Or when they will never even know that you are the one that gave it?
Each Christmas, we should each take the time to give this kind of anonymous gift. Some of you may already have done so, through organizations like the Salvation Army, the Angel Tree, or local food banks. I want to take the time this Christmas Eve to encourage you to not only make the effort to give to give a significant gift like this, but also to add it to your yearly tradition. Teach your children how to do it as well! Giving gifts to those less fortunate and to those who will never know your name, is a great act of selflessness that reminds us of all the good there is to be found in giving.
If you haven’t given this year to a charity for those less fortunate, it is not too late and I will recommend one to you now! The organization ‘World Vision’ is a wonderful organization that does exactly this kind of work. Rob and I, along with 1,000s of others around the world, sponsor a child monthly throughout the year with this great outreach, but they also have plenty of one-time gifts you can give if you prefer, or want to do something extra! They have a gift catalog of things you can buy to send to children and families in third world nations, and it includes options such as buying a fishing kit and teaching a man to fish (you know the saying), helping to provide clean water to a community, sending bibles to children, or paying for education so a child can go to school. Our College & Career group was excited to send in a gift to buy a goat and 2 chickens for a family, to provide them with a continual supply of milk and eggs.
The options are endless, and you can even narrow it down by price range and category if you are looking to do something specific. I just wanted to encourage everyone today to give a gift this Christmas for which you will never get credit, but which will bring great joy and blessing to someone who needs it today. If you are interested in giving such a gift, you can click on the picture below and it will take you to World Vision’s gift catalog. I hope you find something that you can do today.
It is so important to not only remember that Jesus is the reason for the season at Christmas time, but also remember that in our giving, we should always remember the ones for which He told us to care, and that providing for widows, orphans, and those less fortunate is a gift that might be overlooked in this life, but never in the heart of God. Stretch your giving this year; open your heart. Bring smiles to a face you will never see. I guarantee it will bring a smile to yours.
