This third week of Advent takes as its theme ‘love.’ Love is at the heart of Christmas; ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ (John 3:16) I love the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas. I enjoy choosing gifts for people; I like wrapping them up in pretty paper and adorning them with bows and ribbons. Even though my house is currently overrun by presents, bagged up and waiting to be delivered, I still love everything that is associated with gifts. But the reason we give gifts at Christmas is wrapped up in a simple verse found in a passage where Paul advises generosity to Christians: ‘Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!’ (2 Cor 9:15) We give gifts because God has given us the greatest gift of all in His Son, Jesus.
We can, of course, give gifts for a variety of reasons. We can give them out of duty or obligation, because we feel we have to. We can give them because we hope that in giving the gift, we will receive one in return (the quid pro quo system which seems to reflect the world’s way of doing things.) We can give grudgingly or with no thought at all, buying what we like rather than thinking about what the other person likes or needs. But we can also give gladly, joyfully, wanting to please someone else, choosing a gift with thought and consideration and care.
God gives because He is love. (1 John 4:8) His motivation for all that He does is love, and therefore it is worth taking time this week to consider the true nature of love (see 1 Corinthians 13) and to understand that love gives in a whole variety of ways (not necessarily through gifts.)
