CHERISH THE GIVER MORE THAN THE GIFT

 Have you ever received a gift that did not meet your expectations?  Have you ever struggled to be grateful when you did not even know what the gift was?  Have you ever thought---"What were they thinking?" and wondered if they knew you at all?  AND---have you ever been strongly suspicious that you have been given a re-gifted gift?  Of the five love languages, does receiving gifts ring you chime?  Are you able to be a gracious receiver---even when you are perhaps disappointed?  Does it occur to you time and resources were used to present you with a gift?  Here is one point I would love to share with you before the annual "Opening of gifts"- 

YES, it is more blessed to give,

 but the most important variable of the gift giving equation

 is the attitude of the giver and receiver.

We can absolutely deflate the loftiest attempts to bless us with a gift by our less than jubilant response.  I must confess that, in my early days, there were times I was not filled with gratitude and made little attempt to hide it.  With deep relationships, the expectations are greater---if I am put into a situation in front of others to appropriately respond---I can be caught off guard---and not have enough time to put on my poker face.  Thankfully---with maturing---I am gotten over myself.  One of my favorite gifts is a really small red Christmas ball which has "Grandmother" written in gold.  One of my grands gave it to me several years ago--and I smile every year when putting it on the tree and remember that sweet child and how he thought of me when Christmas shopping at the school Christmas store.  It is not monetarily valuable---but it is cherished as much or perhaps more than any of the gifts I have been given over the years.  It was the thought that counted-and he thought of me!  In almost all cases, the intent of the giver is as important as the gift itself.  What the gift conveys about their feelings for me is much more important than the gift itself.

What must Mary & Joseph have thought when the Wise Men showed up with their gifts?  My grands make a list of things they would like to be given.  I seriously doubt they would ever list gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Although the stock trader might like gold)  In my research,  the gold signifies a precious metal from which a king's crown was made, frankincense was used in worship, and myrrh was used in embalming pointing to the eventual death of Jesus.  How were Mary & Joseph to know this?  They knew they were valuable, but in their world, these gifts must have seemed impractical.  Mary might have preferred a casserole, or a blanket to keep the baby warm, or help with the expense of getting home again.  Did they except the gifts with wonder and awe or wonder what in the world those magi were thinking?  Something tells me based upon the wonder of all that had happened, they were joyful and filled with gratitude for the offerings of the visitors.  They knew the Three Kings had traveled a long distance to come and worship and present gifts.  The feelings of the visitors--as well as the expensive gifts conveyed the wonder of the visitors.  May we all look upon the gift of Jesus with the remembrance of God's great love for all of us--when He sent His only Son to live among us and give us the ultimate gift of eternal life.  

"When the men went into the house

and saw the child with Mary, His mother,

they knelt down and worshiped Him.

The took out their gifts of 

gold, frankincense, and myrrh

and gave them to Him."

Matthew 2:11